A government-sponsored poll in the U.K. revealed that nearly 40 percent of people who drink excessively lie to their doctors about how much alcohol they consume, the BBC reported Nov.20.

The poll of nearly 2,000 people found that heavy drinkers often lie to their partners and family about how much they drink, and that men are more likely to lie than women. The poll further suggested that 19 percent of drinkers were dishonest with themselves about their daily level of alcohol consumption.

"It's important people talk honestly if they think they may be drinking too much or even if they're not sure," said a spokesperson for the national alcohol awareness campaign Know Your Limits. "If they are drinking at higher-risk levels, their [doctor] or practice nurse will be able to advise on the health risks."

The survey suggested that government statistics on alcohol use could be misleading, said Don Shenker, CEO of the prevention group Alcohol Concern, adding that the survey "shows that the problem is far bigger than existing evidence suggests."