‘B4Udrink’ uses latest science to estimate BAC

ARLINGTON, VA—With April’s Alcohol Awareness Month quickly approaching, The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility, a national, independent not-for-profit funded by distillers, re-launched an interactive online program, “B4Udrink,” offering the latest available science to estimate an individual’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC). 

Based on the most up-to-date science, Dary Fiorentino, Ph.D., of DF Consulting, an expert in alcohol pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, has created a revised algorithm for B4Udrink which now includes the effects of height and age on an individual’s BAC in addition to gender, weight, and alcohol consumed. The newly revised B4UDrink “Virtual Bar” also illustrates the effect food can have on an individual’s BAC, including how a meal high in fat has little effect on one’s BAC yet a meal high in carbohydrates or protein may decrease an individual’s BAC.  Dr. Fiorentino provided all calculations utilized in the “Virtual Bar.”

In addition to the algorithm, The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility re-designed the “B4Udrink” program’s interface to be more mobile-friendly, making it more accessible to young adults on the go. 

“The B4Udrink ‘Virtual Bar’ gives people the ability to virtually explore different scenarios regarding how they think their night might go, discover their drinking limits and plan accordingly. This information empowers individuals to make educated, responsible decisions when going out socially,” said Ralph Blackman, The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility’s President and CEO.

This “Virtual Bar” allows users to estimate their individual BAC level based on gender, height, weight, age, and the type and number of drinks consumed, as well as the time until their BAC returns to zero. As the user’s simulated “night” progresses and their BAC increases, the “Virtual Bar” interface provides descriptions of how alcohol might affect them, providing the user with more information about their BAC throughout the drinking occasion.

According to the 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, binge drinking peaks among those age 21 to 25. The B4Udrink ‘Virtual Bar’ may prove especially useful in helping to educate these individuals on the effects of binge drinking.

For more information about the B4Udrink program or to access the ‘Virtual Bar,’ visit B4Udrink.org.

About The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility

The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility is a national not-for-profit leader in the fight to eliminate drunk driving and underage drinking and is funded by the following distillers: Bacardi U.S.A., Inc.; Beam, Inc.; Brown-Forman; Constellation Brands, Inc.; DIAGEO; Hood River Distillers, Inc.; and Pernod Ricard USA. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility promotes responsible decision making regarding beverage alcohol and develops and implements innovative programs and public awareness campaigns which ignite action through strategic partnerships. Established in 1991, The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility’s initiatives are highlighted on its website at www.www.responsibility.org.

# # #