The Dutch still believe in myths about alcohol.

The majority of Dutch people believe they are well-informed about the facts and myths surrounding the effects of alcohol, but in practice, this turns out not to be the case. Many myths are still accepted as truth. For instance, 78 percent think that alcohol makes you fat, and nearly three-quarters believe that the effects hit harder when you mix different drinks. 69 percent think that a glass of beer contains as many calories as two slices of wholemeal bread with cheese. This is according to research by Drinkwijzer*. To provide more insight into the real effects of alcohol, Drinkwijzer is launching the Drinkwijzer Model today.

The Drinkwijzer Model centers on the six most important factors influencing alcohol consumption and clarifies their interrelationships. For example, 46 percent of the respondents did not know that physique is an important factor. Almost 40 percent were unaware that gender influences the effect of alcohol. The average Dutch person is, however, well informed about the more obvious factors, such as the amount of alcohol consumed and the timeframe in which it is consumed. The Drinkwijzer Model can be found at www.drinkwijzer.info and is also part of the revamped Drinkwijzer app, which aims to make people more aware of their drinking habits in order to achieve responsible alcohol consumption. Starting today, the Fact or Fiction Test can also be found on the website.

The top five myths
● Alcohol makes you fat. (78 percent)
● The effect of alcohol is greater if you mix drinks. (74 percent)
● A glass of beer contains as many calories as two slices of brown bread with cheese. (69 percent)
● If you drink through a straw, you get drunk faster. (66 percent)
● By moving around a lot and sweating, your body breaks down alcohol faster. (49 percent)

While myths are often mistaken for facts, the facts presented to the respondents are usually recognized as such. For instance, 81 percent of respondents know that a full stomach reduces the effect of alcohol. Knowledge regarding standard glasses, however, still falls somewhat short: only 48 percent know that a glass of beer contains the same amount of alcohol as a shot of gin.

Men know better
It is remarkable that women are generally less well informed about the effects of alcohol. In the top five myths, men score significantly better on three out of five questions, with the difference rising to 16 percent. Recognizing facts also comes more easily to men: 59 percent know that a glass of beer contains the same amount of pure alcohol as a glass of gin, whereas only 36 percent of women know this.