New research, published in the British Medical Journal, studied the alcohol consumption patterns of middle aged men in France and Belfast. The study, led by Dr Jean-Bernard Ruidavets from Toulouse University, assessed 9,758 men considered to be free from heart disease, between the ages of 50 to 59 in the year 1991 and that resided in either three centres in France (Lille, Strasbourg and Toulouse) or Belfast. In the study, participants were categorized as non-drinkers, former drinkers, regular drinkers or binge drinkers. “In the study, binge drinking is defined as excessive alcohol consumption (over 50g) drunk over a short period of time, for example on one day during the weekend (50g of alcohol equates to 4-5 drinks, and a drink to 125ml of wine or a half pint of