Sex Differences in Alcohol Consumption and its Associated Morbidity in Young Civil Servants

An examination of alcohol consumption and its relationship with minor psychiatric morbidity, general practitioner consultations, sickness absence and labour turnover in a cohort of young white collar employees revealed substantial sex differences in the quantity of alcohol consumed in the previous week, and also in the degree to which consumption of more than 30 units/week was associated with increased levels of psychological symptoms, general practitioner consultations sickness absence and labour turnover. These findings underline the need for urgent revaluation of what is a safe quantity of alcohol to consume for either sex.