Almost one-third of men (31%) in the ACT have reported wanting to cut down their alcohol consumption in the next 12 months, a Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) survey has found.
After these findings from the survey of 500 ACT residents conducted in February, FARE and the ACT Government have rolled out a health promotion campaign.
TOM, standing for Third of Men, is a digital initiative with online resources to help men reduce their drinking, raise awareness for safe alcohol guidelines and connect with like-minded males.
FARE deputy chair, mental health professional and TOM ambassador, Jono Nicholas said the online resources covered a wide range of information and tips on cutting down alcohol consumption.
“TOM helps with things like knowing how much alcohol’s in a standard drink, keeping track of how many drinks we’re having, setting goals to reduce drinking, and tips for getting some extra support from people in our community,” he said.
Other results from the survey found men in the ACT were twice as likely as women to consume alcohol at least four times per week.
FARE CEO Caterina Giorgi said this was the main reason the health campaign would focus on males, particularly those between the ages of 25 and 55.
“With men drinking at riskier levels, this campaign is helping to support men to reduce their drinking, with the Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol in mind,” she said.
The campaign will focus on raising awareness of the National Health and Medical Research Council’s alcohol guidelines, after only 23% of both men and women report being aware of its contents.
ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith stated her support for the campaign and encouraged all Canberrans to visit the TOM webpage and access its resources.
“The TOM campaign aligns with the ACT Government’s commitment to supporting the health and wellbeing of the community,” she said.
“TOM may be a partner, brother, neighbour, friend or colleague – I encourage everyone to visit the website for more information and advice on supporting men to make positive lifestyle changes for themselves, their families and the community.”
More information on the digital initiative can be found online.
