Many who got very merry of over the holidays are now committing to a "Dry January" - taking a break or cutting back on their alcohol intake.
To help you track your progress, researchers from UVic’s Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research are launching KnowAlcohol.ca
The site is designed to generate personalized estimates of the potential health risks related to an individual’s alcohol use -- and the benefits of cutting back.
The calculator taps into the science behind Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health, sharing individualized risks of alcohol-related disease, including several types of cancers, measures like cigarette equivalency, and minutes of life lost per drink, as well as information about costs and calories related to alcohol, tailoring to your age, sex, and the amount you drink weekly.
“A can of peas has more information on it than a can of beer. We wanted to provide credible information about alcohol. People have the right to know.” -CISUR director Dr. Tim Naimi
The research team conducted cross-country surveys and created an advisory group to help shape the site’s content.
This project was funded by Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program.