Globally, alcohol is consumed in form of different beverages. Content of pure alcohol, that is, ethanol per unit volume varies across different alcoholic beverages. This is because percentage of ethanol in different alcoholic beverages varies.

Also, the meaning of ‘one drink’ differs from one nation and culture to another. One needs to know the volume of the alcoholic beverage that constitutes a standard drink of that beverage.

The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) has described the standard drink.

As mentioned earlier, content of pure alcohol, that is, ethanol per unit volume varies across different alcoholic beverages. This is because percentage of ethanol in different alcoholic beverages varies. One needs to know the volume of the alcoholic beverage that constitutes a standard drink of that beverage.

Depending on the ethanol content, various alcoholic beverages can be converted into volume equivalents.

One of the major determinants of the adverse consequences associated with alcohol use is the absolute amount of alcohol (ethanol) consumed. The concept of volume equivalency of different alcoholic beverages discussed above helps understand that since certain alcoholic beverages contain relatively lower percentage of alcohol by volume, their standard drink equivalence requires a consumption of a relatively higher volume. However, at the standard drink equivalence volume they expose the person to the same absolute volume of alcohol as a distilled spirit.

The amount that is considered a standard drink varies from country to country. It is important to know this while interpreting the alcohol-related recommendations and regulations specific to that country.

• The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Guidelines for Use in Primary Care. Second Edition. WHO/MSD/MSB/01.6a
• Kalinowski, A., and Humphreys, K. (2016) Governmental standard drink definitions and low‐risk alcohol consumption guidelines in 37 countries. Addiction, 111: 1293– 1298. doi: 10.1111/add.13341.