Binge drinking among women has nearly doubled in the past decade, research revealed yesterday.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation says that about one in six female drinkers over the age of 16 consumes more than double the recommended daily amount of alcohol, three units.

Though men still drink more — with 23 per cent of men consuming twice as much as they should (four units a day maximum) — the gap between the sexes is closing. Between 1998 and 2006 the number of female binge-drinkers almost doubled to 3 million, or 15 per cent of women. The number of men aged 16-24 who drank “binge” amounts has fallen by nearly 10 per cent since 2000.

Alcohol consumption among middle-aged and elderly drinkers also increased steadily over the same period.

Lesley Smith, of Oxford Brookes University, who led the research, said: “An examination of trends over the last 15 to 20 years indicates that it is generally the behaviour of women that has increased towards that of men, at least in the UK, where the gender gap in drinking at excessive and harmful levels has decreased over recent years.”

The report cited women’s increased independence and financial security as contributing to their increased consumption of alcohol, along with the “pressure of positive advertising”.

The report also found that the number of young children drinking alcohol fell. However, children who did drink were drinking more, with consumption among 11 to 13-year-olds at twice the level it was in 1990.

Ms Smith said: “Much concern has been expressed in recent years about young people’s drinking. Many people will be surprised to learn that young men’s drinking, including binge-drinking, has gone down in recent years, while middle-aged and older people’s drinking has increased.”

Northern Ireland experienced the biggest increases in drinking. The Department of Health said: “We are determined to reduce the harms associated with binge-drinking, long-term excessive drinking and drinking by children and young people.”

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