While alcohol affects each of us differently, there are steps you can take to make sure you moderate your drinking.

Some of the simple things you can do include:

• Set yourself limits and stick to them.
• Alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
• Drink slowly.
• Try drinks with a lower alcohol content.
• Have something to eat while or before you have an alcoholic drink.
• Dilute your alcoholic drink by adding water or ice.

Drinking responsibly is about drinking in moderation.

Making informed choices when it comes to drinking

Through the evidence-based Australian guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) provide Australians with evidence-based advice on the health effects of drinking alcohol, helping people to make informed decisions about how much alcohol they drink, if they choose to drink. 

 

Guideline 1: Reducing the risk of alcohol-related harm for adults 

To reduce the risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury, healthy men and women should drink no more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day.

The less you drink, the lower your risk of harm from alcohol.

Guideline 2: Children and people under 18 years of age 

To reduce the risk of injury and other harms to health, children and people under 18 years of age should not drink alcohol.

Guideline 3: Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding

A. To prevent harm from alcohol to their unborn child, women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy should not drink alcohol.

B. For women who are breastfeeding, not drinking alcohol is safest for their baby.