Asking people to record drinking may be linked to bigger cuts.
HelpedThe short version
Across 18 trials, brief advice that asked people to record drinking tended to cut drinking more.
- 7
- studies pooled
- 2,807
- adults who drank too much in 18 trials
- Self-rated
- people rated themselves
- 1 tool
- tested
The review
Who took part
The studies covered 18 trials with 7,183 people in all. They tested short advice for adults who drank too much, in primary care.
What they did
Each trial compared short advice with another group. The analysis compared 7 trials whose advice asked people to record drinking with 11 whose advice did not.
What happened
In trials that asked people to record drinking, drinking was about 60 grams a week lower than in the other group. Without that step, it was about 18 grams lower. The paper calls this exploratory, and the adjusted result could have been no difference. Asking people to commit there and then showed no clear difference once recording was included.
What the review found
- Helped
Across 18 trials, brief advice that asked people to record drinking tended to cut drinking more.
Pooled analysis of 7 studies with 2,807 people · vs brief advice that did not ask people to record · they rated themselves · ⚠ whole programmes were tested, so no single part can be credited
How solid is this?
- Large group
- People rated themselves
- Summary claims more than the results show
- Whole programmes were tested, so no single part can be credited
Source
Identification of behaviour change techniques to reduce excessive alcohol consumption (2012)
DOI: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2012.03845.x (opens in a new tab)
