Pour Less Wine in Your Glass to Prevent Binge Drinking: Study

Don't want to get sloshed, then pour less alcohol in your glass, advises a study.

Research team from the Ohio State University and Cornell University found people who were served only half a glass of wine drank 20 percent lesser. They examined if the amount of drinks served can impact the alcohol consumption behavior in 74 people placed in a variety of settings having wine bottles and glasses in different shapes and sizes. Their study considered other variables like subjects' BMI levels and gender that directly influences participants' level of alcohol intake.

It was observed those who followed the rule-of -thumb' where their glasses were only half filled or two-fingers-from-the-top rule while pouring drank less wine than those who did not follow any rule.

"About 70 percent of the people in the sample used the half-glass rule, and they poured significantly less by about 20 per cent. It's a big difference. We would suggest using a rule of thumb with pouring because it makes a big difference in how much people pour and prevents them from overdrinking," said Laura Smarandescu, study author and assistant professor of marketing at Iowa State University, reports the Daily Mail.

Their analysis also revealed men who were obese and did not adhere to any of the above methods consumed 31 percent more alcohol. These people also drank 26 percent more than those with BMI ranging between normal to moderate levels. In addition, women who used the thumb rule poured themselves 27 percent less drink regardless of their BMI.  The results also noted, compared to women, male participants relished wine and served themselves in generous amounts.

"Women are more likely to socially compare with other women. They're aware that drinking is not as socially acceptable for women as it is for men, although it is becoming more acceptable than it has been in the past. But for men there is still more of a culture of drinking and pouring more," Smarandescu said.

Every year millions of people in the U.S. die in road accidents, injuries and violence that occur due to heavy and unrestrained drinking. The authors urge people to follow the simple rule of not over-pouring too much drink to avoid serious accidents and binge drinking.

More information is available online in the International Journal of Drug Policy.