FACTBOX-Dying for a drink?

LONDON (Reuters) - Data from The Information Centre of Health and Social Care shows the number of hospital admissions in England related to alcohol has shot up over the last decade.

Here are some key findings:

* In 2006, there were 6,517 deaths directly linked to alcohol, up 19 percent from 2001 when there were 5,476.

* There were 57,142 people admitted to hospital with a primary diagnosis specifically linked to alcohol, up 52 percent since 1995/6. Of these, 4,888 of the patients (9 percent) were under 18.

* There was a total 207,788 hospital admissions with a primary or secondary diagnosis linked to alcohol, up from 93,459 in 1995/6.

* In 2006, 44 percent of men and 33 percent of women had drunk more than the recommended daily number of units on at least one day in the week prior to being interviewed.

* 31 percent of men and 20 percent of women reported drinking on average more than the recommended weekly number of units.

* 69 percent of people across Britain had heard of the government alcohol consumption guidelines but 40 percent of these did not know what the recommendations were.

* 21 percent of pupils in England, aged 11 to 15, had drunk in the week before being interviewed, down from 26 percent in 2001. Furthermore 45 percent said they had never drunk alcohol, up from 39 percent in 2001.