How much booze is too much for over-50s?
Hands up all those who want to believe older Australians drink alcohol more responsibly than the young - and that a ‘bit of what you fancy’ does you good?
Both my arms are raised, but the reality should have them crashing down to earth. It’s official: the over-50s, and especially over-70s, booze more often and drink more than those of tenderer years.
And in a vicious reality check new research suggests we give far more credence than we should to science when it says moderate drinking is good for you (and far too little if it says the opposite).
This is no excuse to fortify yourself with a quick one but an opportunity to review over-50s’ drinking patterns to see if we what non-giddy steps might be best.
The recent National Drug Strategy Household survey shows it’s those aged over 70 who are most likely to have a daily tipple even as overall drinking rates are falling.
Some 67% consume alcohol and of those 10% at levels (more than two standard drinks a day) which place them at lifetime risk of harm. The figures are higher than those for the young.
Remember a standard drink is one containing 10 grams of alcohol. A bottle of full strength beer is 1.4 standard drinks. A bottle of white wine 7.7 SD and a nip of spirits is one SD.
It adds up quickly. Other hazards for those perhaps young at heart but older in years is that the symptoms of excessive drinking, such as tremors, can be mistaken for ageing.
Other things to consider for older Australians about drinking too much and/or too regularly: it increases the risks of falls and injuries; there’s more risk the body becomes less effective at metabolising alcohol; and we’re more likely taking medicines that react badly with booze.
If that wasn’t bad enough there’s research we’ve been fooling ourselves into believing moderate drinking, such as a glass of wine, with a meal does some good as opposed to any harm.
It’s an understandable but risky bias for drinkers to lap up reports there’s a health benefit from a moderate form of their habit and largely ignore those which find a downside.
You might take heart from one study which found even taking just one month off liquor can boost health and wellbeing with better sleep, weight management and concentration.
So ‘Febfast’ or ‘Dry July’ may have its benefits. It’s always worth considering, whatever your age, how much you actually drink compared to the guidelines and if needed seek help.
Comparing yourself to others, especially if they are in the group of older people, who seem to have normalised heavier drinking might not be such a good idea.
