John Holmes to speak on no- and low-alcohol drinks in SHAAP seminar
Prof John Holmes and Prof Niamh Fitzgerald will discuss the implications of no- and low-alcohol products for public health in a free online seminar on 24 April.
The seminar forms part of the 'Alcohol Occasionals' series organised by Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) and the Scottish Alcohol Research Network (SARN).
Drawing on work from the NIHR-funded project 'Evaluating and responding to the public health impact of no and low alcohol drinks: A multi-method study of a complex intervention in a complex system', John and Niamh will speak about 'No- and low-alcohol drinks: potentials and pitfalls for public health'.
About the seminar
No- and low-alcohol (no/lo) drinks have become increasingly popular with consumers in recent years and the UK Government is committed to growing the no/lo market. No/lo drinks may have substantial health benefits if used in place of standard alcoholic drinks, but public health actors are concerned about risks including surrogate marketing, policy substitution and harmful effects on vulnerable groups.
During the seminar John and Niamh will discuss the pathways to benefits or risks for public health arising from the rise in no/lo drinks in the UK; present new quantitative data on trends and social patterns in sales, purchasing and consumption of no/lo drinks; and argue for a unified public health response to no/lo drinks.
About the speakers
John Holmes is Professor of Alcohol Policy at the University of Sheffield and Director of the Sheffield Addictions Research Group. He is also co-Director of the NIHR Policy Research Unit in Addictions.
Niamh Fitzgerald is a Professor of Alcohol Policy and Director of the Institute for Social Marketing and Health at University of Stirling. She is also Deputy Director of the SPECTRUM (Shaping public health policies to reduce inequalities and harm) research consortium (2019-2024), with responsibility for impact, knowledge exchange and public engagement.
Registration
The seminar will take place online on Wednesday 24 April 2024, 12:45pm – 2pm. Visit Eventbrite to register for free.
Sheffield research shows Drink Less app could save lives and millions for the NHS
A new study led by Professor Colin Angus of the Sheffield Addictions Research Group (SARG) has revealed the significant potential of the Drink Less app in reducing alcohol-related harm and saving the NHS millions of pounds.
Health inequalities and no/lo drinks the focus of upcoming webinar
Are no- and low-alcohol drinks truly a healthier alternative for everyone? PhD student Lucy Burke will explore this question in a free online session on Wednesday 5 February 2025.
SARG researchers to present at Alcohol Knowledge Exchange Workshop
Professor John Holmes and Professor Colin Angus are key contributors to the Knowledge Exchange Workshop: Alcohol Evidence in Policy and Practice taking place in Edinburgh this week.
SARG research on drinking guidelines presented in Brussels
Professor John Holmes, Director of the Sheffield Addictions Research Group, recently spoke at a European Alcohol Harm Reduction Symposium on UK drinking guidelines, the decline in youth drinking and how to communicate evidence on alcohol and cancer.
You might also be interested in…
IAS funds SARG researcher to study barriers to no/lo drink consumption among disadvantaged groups
Dr Merve Mollaahmetoglu has been awarded a grant from the Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS) to investigate barriers to the use of alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks among individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
No/Lo Project
The No/Lo Project investigates whether non-alcoholic or low-alcohol drinks can improve people's health. These drinks are beers, ciders, wines, spirits that are alcohol-free or contain a little alcohol. We call them no/lo drinks.
SARG success at SSA Annual Conference 2023
PhD student and SARG team member Anna Butters was awarded the prize for the best overall student poster at this year's Society for the Study of Addiction (SSA) Annual Conference which took place in Newcastle in November 2023.