New survey: Danes do not know when they drink too much

Peter Dalum

10.11.2025 - 8 out of 10 Danes do not know the official alcohol recommendations.

In Denmark, alcohol is often linked to social time with friends and family. But alcohol intake can have serious health consequences.

A new survey from the Danish Cancer Society shows that only few Danes know the recommendations from the Danish Health Authority, even though these recommendations have been in place since 2022.

Among 3,023 Danes aged 18 to 74, 83 percent know neither the recommendation for men nor for women when it comes to weekly units. And 87 percent cannot state how much one should drink at most on a single day.

The lack of awareness is worrying.

“If you do not know how much alcohol is too much, you may have a harmful alcohol intake without knowing it,” says Peter Dalum, project manager at the Danish Cancer Society.

10 units per week, maximum 4 at one time

Alcohol increases the risk of more than 200 diseases and conditions, including cancer. This is why the Danish Health Authority recommends that people drink no more than 10 units per week and no more than 4 units on a single day. The recommendation is the same for men and for women. Staying within these limits gives a low risk of becoming ill because of alcohol.

According to Peter Dalum, more people would think about how many units they drink in a week if they knew the official recommendations. This is especially important for the 16 percent of adults, more than 700,000 people, who drink more than the recommended maximum of 10 units per week.

No amount of alcohol is risk free

Peter Dalum points out that the recommendations should be seen as a guide to the maximum amount and that no one should drink for health reasons. This is especially because of the link between alcohol and cancer.

“Although the risk of getting cancer caused by alcohol increases with the number of units consumed, there is no lower safe limit where you can say that alcohol intake is risk free,” says Peter Dalum.

Alcohol increases the risk of at least seven cancers: cancers of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, larynx, liver, colon and breast.

What is one unit?

One unit corresponds to:

1 regular beer

1 glass of wine

1 alcoholic cider (for example Somersby or Mokaï)

1 alcopop (for example Bacardi Breezer or Smirnoff Ice)

1 drink or cocktail

1 large shot of strong spirits (for example vodka or tequila)

2 large shots of lower strength spirits (for example Ga-Jol or Fisk)

1 bottle of wine equals 6 units, 1 bottle of spirits equals 20 units.

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About the survey

The report “Alcohol habits in Denmark 2024” is based on an online questionnaire among 3,023 Danes aged 18 to 74.

The report maps alcohol consumption, experiences with Danish alcohol culture, attitudes to alcohol norms in Denmark, attitudes to structural prevention measures, knowledge about the link between alcohol and cancer, and awareness of the recommendations from the Danish Health Authority.

Data was collected by Voxmeter between May and June 2024 and is nationally representative by gender, age and region.

The full report can be read here: Alkoholvaner i Danmark 2024

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Source: Kræftens Bekæmpelse