Diary of a binge drinker

The party season is under way, and London's pubs and bars are heaving with drinkers determined to see each other under the table, many of them women, who are more likely to "binge drink" than men. Although not drinking every day, binge drinking can cause more toxicity in the body, one of the main reasons for increasing numbers of liver disease, particularly among women in their thirties. We asked a typical binge drinker to keep a diary last week.

Jenny Hill, 26, is a City purchasing officer. She is single and lives in North Finchley. She says: "I like to go drinking, but I don't drink every day. This weekend was fairly typical; Friday and Saturday nights are my most concentrated drinking sprees and I wind down on Sunday. Over the next few weeks there will be plenty of parties, but normally I may have one big night out in the week if there is something going on, such as a birthday.''

Day One

12.30 soup. 12.40 cheese-and-onion pie and salad. 18.30 fish and chips before going to football match.19.00 pint of lager.

Units: 2

Dr Guy Ratcliffe, executive director of the Medical Council on Alcohol, says: "A pint of lager is within the units recommended for women per day (two to three) and she had a meal before drinking, which will help keep her blood sugar levels up, so nothing wrong - yet."

Day Two

2.10 sea bass, potatoes and veg. 19.15 pizza, rocket salad and garlic bread. 20.10 three Cadbury's caramel fingers.

Units: nil

Dr Ratcliffe says: "No alcohol at all, even with a meal. This abstinence is often typical of the binge drinker, who tends to consume a large quantity of alcohol at the weekend, with one day in the week sandwiched in between alcohol-free days, to give themselves what they believe is time to recover before the next binge."

DAY THREE, first party of the season tonight.

11.20 tomato-and-basil soup. 12.50 1/2 cheese-and-salad baguette, packet of crisps, carton of Ribena. 15.00 1/2 cheese-and-salad baguette. 17.45 meet with work colleagues in pub, 1/2pt of lager and lime. 18.40 at party, 1/2 pt of lager and lime, plate of sandwiches, snacks etc. 19.30 1/2pt of lager and lime, two Cynara capsules. 20.05 large white wine, get up to dance. 20.30 large white wine. 21.10 large white wine - getting very carried away on the dance floor. 21.45 1/2 pt of lager and lime. 22.30 large white wine. 23.40 very drunk, eat a kebab.

Units: 12

Dr Ratcliffe says: "This fits the binge-drinking pattern. The liver burns up alcohol slowly and the rate varies from person to person. But, as a rule, it takes as many hours as the number of drinks for the body to completely burn up all the alcohol. Jenny admits she feels 'very drunk' by the end of the evening and eats a kebab, presumably in an effort to 'soak up the alcohol' but this will have very little or no effect."

Day four

07.00 feeling hung-over, small glass of water. 09.05 one bacon roll. 10.20 bottle of Ribena. 13.30 hamandcheese toasted panini. 18.35 chicken breast with green veg. 20.30 cheese and crackers. 23.05 bed.

Units: nil

Ratcliffe says: "Eating pretty healthily today and no alcohol - no doubt gearing up for the weekend bingeing."

Day Five

Meet friends I haven't seen for a while, so I know this is going to be a big night. 19.05 chicken Chinese style and plain noodles, large glass white wine. 19.40 large white wine. 20.35 large white wine, now at local pub. 21.05 large white wine. 21.20 beginning to feel my cheeks warm up, one of the first signs of being tipsy. 21.30 fall off bar stool. 21.45 large white wine. 22.10 large white wine. 22.30 large white wine. 23.20 one glass of port at home plus four crackers with cheese. 23.50 one small glass of water and bed.

Units: 15

Dr Ratcliffe says: "Eight units consumed in five hours tonight with, frankly, little food to slow down any effects of being drunk - no wonder she is falling off the bar stool and feeling flushed. The more alcohol you put in your body in a quicker time, the higher the blood alcohol concentration (BAC). A glass of port after all that wine may well upset her stomach."

Day Six

05.10 wake up thirsty, have 1/2 pint of water. 10.15 wake again with a headache so have a pint of water. 10.30 glass orange juice, two slices of toast and Marmite. 14.30 meet up with friends for lunch in a pub, one soda water. 14.55 soup, flat bread with tomato and mozzarella, 1/2 pt of lager and lime. 15.35 1/2 pt of lager and lime. 16.30 pint of lager and lime. 17.00 feeling bloated so skip dinner, two Cynara capsules, 18.00 large glass of red wine (because the others are drinking red and I've had enough lager). 19.10 large glass of red wine. 20.00 large glass of red wine. 21.00 feeling quite blotto, dancing around the bar. 21.25 double vodka, lime and soda. 22.30 vodka, lime and soda. 23.15 shot of sambuca. 00.15 11/2 pts of water, feeling very drunk.

Units: 14

Dr Ratcliffe says: "Having woken up feeling thirsty and with a headache, Jenny went on to consume 14 units today. She ate breakfast and lunch but skipped dinner, which was not a good idea. Because of the long evening's drinking session with no food, she is bound to have felt drunk - carbohydrate is essential to stop blood sugar levels falling as alcohol stimulates the production of insulin. Too much insulin reduces sugar levels, giving the feelings of drowsiness, lack of coordination and weakness. She admits to 'feeling quite blotto' and 'very drunk' - which is hardly surprising after drinking that amount and mixing her drinks."

Day Seven

07.30 wake up and drink a pint of water, back to bed. 10.50 tea, scrambled egg on toast. 15.00 roast chicken dinner with stuffing and veg, glass of white wine. 18.45 cheeseand-tomato sandwich. 10.30 glass of water and bed.

Units: one

Dr Ratcliffe says: "In all, Jenny has consumed 29 units between 7pm on Friday and midnight on Saturday and most of the remainder on Wednesday. She is a very typical binge drinker. Over the week, she has consumed 44 units, which is likely to be harmful to her health if she continues this rate of drinking for any length of time."

TOTAL UNITS: 44

Facts about alcohol

The recommended limit of alcohol for women is two to three units per day (men three to four). One unit equals 1/2 pt lager, 125ml glass wine or 25ml measure of spirit.

Alcohol Concern Information line: 0207 922 8667. Drinkline: 0800 9178282.