Perceptions and actual levels of alcohol consumption amongst UK adults

The Living in Britain Survey 1995 (Office of National Statistics 1997) is investigated to analyse the relationship between perceptions of alcohol consumption, actual consumption levels and knowledge of government sensible drinking guidelines amongst a representative sample of UK adults. Perceptions and actual levels of consumption are fairly well related. However, a minority of adults, approximately 15%, are "dissonant" about their consumption. They self-perceive themselves to be drinking "moderately" at most whilst actually drinking at potentially harmful levels. A multinomial logit analysis reveals that dissonant individuals are more likely to be male rather than female, under the age of 35 rather than older, not living in family groups rather than cohabiting with family members, high earners rather than lower earners and employed rather than unemployed. The possible implications of this finding, if confirmed and validated by further research, for future public policy towards alcohol are discussed.