In this prospective cohort study, we investigated the effect of alcohol consumption on the incidence of ischaemic heart disease in two countries, Northern Ireland and France. We found that alcohol consumption patterns differed radically in the two countries: in Belfast most men’s alcohol intake was concentrated on one day of the weekend (Saturday), whereas in the three French centres studied alcohol consumption was spread more evenly throughout the entire week. However, the volumes of alcohol consumed by drinkers over an entire week were similar in Belfast and in the French centres.30 31
