The campaign is aimed at people aged between 30 and 44

The Health Promotion Agency is launching its television and radio advertisements on Wednesday.

A binge is defined as consuming at least 10 units of alcohol for men and at least seven units for women in a single session, equating to half the recommended weekly limit.

Aimed at people aged between 30 and 44, the campaign features a man about 40-years-old who is in hospital after suffering a stroke, along with a series of flashbacks illustrating his unhealthy lifestyle.

The agency found that 83% of adults in this age group drank alcohol, of which half the men and a third of the women were binge drinkers.

This type of drinking can have a significant negative effect on a person's mental health Professor Ian Young Queen's University, Belfast

The agency's chief executive, Dr Brian Gaffney, said this type of drinking can have a serious impact on people's health, even if it is just once a week.

"This campaign targets that age group and wants to encourage them to think about how much they drink and what exactly binge drinking is," he said.

The agency says the social cost of alcohol misuse in Northern Ireland each year was estimated to be about �700m.

Professor Ian Young of Queen's University in Belfast said many people would be shocked by some of the long-term negative effects of binge drinking.

"We know from research that binge drinking increases the risk of coronary heart disease for both men and women," he said.

"Binge drinking can also increase the risk of high blood pressure for men and can increase the risk of developing certain cancers.

"This type of drinking can have a significant negative effect on a person's mental health."