The hidden damage

What was it?
Following research carried out by YouGov, which showed that 57% of drinkers in the North East believe alcohol only damages health if people regularly get drunk or binge drink, Balance launched a health campaign.

The campaign aimed to highlight the real dangers of regular drinking. It also wanted to make North East drinkers aware that drinking more than the recommended safe limits of 2-3 units a day for women (about two small glasses of wine) and 3-4 units a day for men (about two pints of lager) every day or almost every day, seriously increases the risk of harm.

What we did
The campaign was supported by regional newspaper adverts, radio advertising and a newspaper insert which reached 400,000 homes across the North East.

We also took to the streets and gave shoppers across the region x-ray vision to see the hidden damage regular drinking could be doing to their internal organs.

Shoppers came face to face with a life sized x ray of a human body and were shown the places where alcohol-related diseases such as strokes, heart attacks, dementia, as well as mouth, throat and liver cancer could strike.

We also encouraged the region’s residents to drink within the recommended limits to reduce their chances of getting alcohol-related diseases. Members of the Balance team were also on hand to offer advice and hand out information.

Vital stats

• More than half (57%) of drinkers in the North East misguidedly believe that alcohol only damages health if people regularly get drunk or binge drink.

• Men who regularly drink more than two pints of strong lager a day could be three times more likely to have a stroke and three times more likely to get mouth cancer.

• Woman who regularly drink two large glasses of wine or more a day are 50% more likely to get breast cancer and twice as likely to have high blood pressure, which could lead to a stroke or a heart attack.

• Nationally, 83% of adults who regularly drink more than the recommended limits don’t think their drinking is putting their long-term health at risk.

What people said
Colin Shevills, director of Balance

“Most people who suffer from health problems because of their drinking are not alcoholics or binge drinkers but are those who drink every day, or almost every day, over a number of years. Many suffer few immediate consequences, but over time it takes its toll. In the North East, too many of us are drinking more than we should on a regular basis. At the same time, rates of death from alcohol related liver disease are increasing, while alcohol specific hospital admissions are up to 62% higher than the national average.”