More than 1 in 10 elderly in US are binge drinkers
Emily S Rueb
06.08.2019
Excessive alcohol consumption is not safe for a person at any age, but it is particularly dangerous for older adults. And according to a study published this week, about 1 in 10 older adults are considered binge drinkers.
“Binge drinking, even episodically, may negatively affect other health conditions by exacerbating disease, interacting with prescribed medications and complicating disease management,” said Benjamin Han, lead author of the study that was published in the ‘Journal of the American Geriatrics Society’.
Alcohol is also a risk factor for injury, but the consequences and recovery from a fall are much more serious for an 81-year-old than a 21-year-old.
The study defined binge drinking as consuming five or more drinks in a sitting for men, and four or more drinks in a sitting for women. And a drink equaled a can or bottle of beer or a glass of wine. Han’s group analysed data between 2015-17. In all, the findings included 10,927 adults aged 65 or older who reported their drinking habits in the previous 30 days. While the drinking habits of teenagers and younger people has been a focus for clinicians and researchers, more attention should be paid to older adults, Han said. Timothy S Naimi, an alcohol epidemiologist, said the 1 in 10 figure “is an impressive number and it’s concerning.” The number is “undoubtedly an underestimate,” he added, as people tend to miscalculate how much they drink. NYT
WHY AGE IS A FACTOR
Emily S Rueb
06.08.2019
Excessive alcohol consumption is not safe for a person at any age, but it is particularly dangerous for older adults. And according to a study published this week, about 1 in 10 older adults are considered binge drinkers.
“Binge drinking, even episodically, may negatively affect other health conditions by exacerbating disease, interacting with prescribed medications and complicating disease management,” said Benjamin Han, lead author of the study that was published in the ‘Journal of the American Geriatrics Society’.
Alcohol is also a risk factor for injury, but the consequences and recovery from a fall are much more serious for an 81-year-old than a 21-year-old.
The study defined binge drinking as consuming five or more drinks in a sitting for men, and four or more drinks in a sitting for women. And a drink equaled a can or bottle of beer or a glass of wine. Han’s group analysed data between 2015-17. In all, the findings included 10,927 adults aged 65 or older who reported their drinking habits in the previous 30 days. While the drinking habits of teenagers and younger people has been a focus for clinicians and researchers, more attention should be paid to older adults, Han said. Timothy S Naimi, an alcohol epidemiologist, said the 1 in 10 figure “is an impressive number and it’s concerning.” The number is “undoubtedly an underestimate,” he added, as people tend to miscalculate how much they drink. NYT
WHY AGE IS A FACTOR
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