Which is a harm minimisation guideline when drinking?

• A. Eat food whilst you drink
• B. Skip meals to save calories
• C. Mix alcoholic drinks with energy drinks
• D. Drink on an empty stomach

Answer: (A)

Eating food while you drink helps slow how quickly alcohol enters the bloodstream. With food in the stomach, alcohol mixes with it and is absorbed more gradually, so you don’t rise to high levels of intoxication as quickly. This makes it easier to pace yourself, reduces the chance of dehydration and nausea, and lowers the risk of negative outcomes from drinking. Skipping meals or drinking on an empty stomach speeds up absorption and can lead to rapid intoxication and worse hangovers. Mixing alcohol with energy drinks can mask how impaired you are and add extra strain on the heart and dehydration, which isn’t a safer choice. So, eating food while you drink is a practical harm-minimisation step.