Breaking bad: how to give up drinking, smoking, nail-biting and other unwanted habits
With Stoptober and Sober October starting soon, we asked readers to tell us how they broke bad habits - and how this changed their life. Here’s what you said
Little evidence that light drinking in pregnancy is harmful, say experts
Women worried by guidance advising abstinence should be told there is little evidence that the odd glass of wine causes harm to the baby, says study
Telling people ‘you’re wrong’ doesn’t work – for breastfeeding or anything else
If you want to change human behaviour, don’t appeal to logic, says communications strategist Nicky Hawkins
Cheers! Drinking’s good for us again – but can the medical hype be trusted?
Blind faith in scientific health claims – and headlines – can be dangerous, especially given the growing menace of online self-diagnosis, writes Guardian columnist Simon Jenkins
Britons are among most at-risk in Europe for alcohol-related cancer
British people consume 2.1 alcoholic drinks every day on average, above the threshold that increases risk of cancer
Bigger wine glasses make us drink too much, says researcher
Today’s glasses, 450ml compared with 65ml 300 years ago, encourage consumption, Cambridge scientist tells Hay festival
A moment that changed me: realising, aged 16, that I couldn’t handle alcohol
I did drink quite a bit more after that. But that night in Alicante was the first inkling I had that my relationship with alcohol was a dangerous one
Will alcohol ruin my diet?
Booze contains plenty of calories, although studies have shown that moderate drinking is not necessarily associated with piling on the pounds
How to avoid temptation during dry January
Are social pressure, awkward gaps in conversations and a dread of sober dancing weakening your resolve to cut out the booze? Fear not
You need to read this now: the ultimate hangover survival guide
Fireworks, friends, all-night New Year’s party? This article may save your life, or at least your headache anyway, says Ed Cumming
Eat less? Drink less? In the Year of Dying Too Soon we need to get real
Public Health England’s campaign for healthier lifestyles feels like a party pooper in a world where the party’s the thing. And that’s just the start of its problems
Eight in 10 middle-aged Britons ‘are overweight or exercise too little’
Public Health England launches campaign aimed at 40 to 60-year-olds, 83% of whom weigh too much or drink above guidelines
Everything you ever wanted to know about hangovers (but were too queasy to ask)
The Romans treated hangovers with raw owls’ eggs; the Assyrians went for powdered birds’ beaks. Do any of the ‘miracle cures’ really work?
Can you tell how drunk you are?
A new study has found that boozers out on the town are more likely to underestimate their drunkenness if their companions are also drinking heavily. The lesson? Take a sober friend with you
Exercise can cut risk from alcohol-related diseases, study suggests
Researchers find that regular physical activity can cut the risk of dying from alcohol-related cancer and other diseases