Drink less alcohol
Reducing alcohol lowers exposure to a cause of cancer, liver disease and dependence.
The number, drawn
2.6 million deaths worldwide attributed to alcohol in 2019
Why it matters
Alcohol and its breakdown products can damage the body, and even low consumption carries some risk. WHO attributed 2.6 million deaths worldwide in 2019 to alcohol, a population burden rather than an estimate of your personal risk. Less drinking means less exposure, and avoiding alcohol removes alcohol exposure entirely.
How to do it
- Track what you drink, including the size and strength of each serving.
- Replace routine drinks with alcohol free alternatives.
- If you are not dependent, plan days without alcohol and reduce the amount on drinking days.
- Avoid alcohol during pregnancy; if you do not drink, there is no health reason to start.
If you have withdrawal symptoms or may be dependent, get clinical help before suddenly stopping alcohol.
Do it
Pick the time you have. Anything beats nothing.
Start with the time you have
1 minute
Recall yesterday's drinks, including refills. Count the servings and notice any you normally leave out.
5 minutes
Write down yesterday's drinks with sizes and strengths. If you may be dependent or get withdrawal symptoms, seek medical advice before cutting down.
15 minutes
Review a week's drinking and contact an alcohol service if control or withdrawal is a concern. Otherwise, choose one regular drink to replace.
30 minutes
Plan support for your drinking goal: identify difficult occasions, prepare alternatives and request clinical help if dependence is possible.
A plan
Start with an honest baseline
- Stage 1: Record drinking for a week; seek advice promptly if dependence or withdrawal is possible.
- Stage 2: If you are not dependent, try one smaller serving or alcohol free replacement and plan days without alcohol.
- Stage 3: Review what worked after a week and repeat; use professional support if reducing is difficult.
In real life
- Record your drink's size and alcohol strength, not just 'one glass'.
- If you are not dependent, replace a routine drink with sparkling water.
- If cutting down causes shaking or sweating, contact a clinician before reducing further.
Watch out for
- Common mistakeDo not stop suddenly if you may be dependent: get medical help to reduce safely.
- Common mistakeDo not treat a low risk drinking limit as risk free: less alcohol still means less exposure.
Trusted guides
In Czechia
In Czechia, the government's first report on alcohol says any dose, even one drink a day, carries risk, and no dose can be recommended as beneficial or considered safe.
Úřad vlády ČR checked
In Germany, the German Nutrition Society (DGE) says there is no potentially health-promoting and safe amount of alcohol, and recommends not drinking alcohol.
In Spain, a Ministry of Health review concludes that low-risk drinking should sit at 20 g of alcohol a day for men and 10 g for women, assuming there is no zero risk. A Spanish standard drink is 10 g. It describes population levels, not advice to individuals.
Ministerio de Sanidad checked
In the Netherlands, the Voedingscentrum advises not drinking alcohol, as there is no safe amount. A standard glass holds about 10 g of alcohol, and under-18s should not drink alcohol at all.
Voedingscentrum checked
In Poland, the national patient portal says there is no risk-free amount of alcohol and no universal safe limit. It suggests a drinking diary and setting goals; addiction treatment clinics are on the KCPU map.
Pacjent.gov.pl checked
In Ukraine, the Public Health Center counts a standard drink as about 10 g of pure alcohol, for example 330 ml of 4% beer or about 100 ml of 13% wine, and cites WHO that there is no safe level of drinking.
Check usSources
- Evidence grade
- A Meta-analyses of randomised trials, or a major guideline consensus.
- Basis
- WHO causal risk assessment and current public health guidance; NHS withdrawal safety guidance
- The number
- 2.6 million deaths worldwide attributed to alcohol in 2019 (WHO, 2024)
- Tier 1 guidelineAlcoholWHO, 2024
- Tier 1 guidelineNo level of alcohol consumption is safe for our healthWHO Europe, 2023
- Tier 1 guidelineAlcohol supportNHS, 2026
General health information, not a diagnosis or an individual treatment plan. Personalization changes the order of suggestions; it does not assess your medical risks. Follow the cautions and consult a qualified clinician when needed.