Is there really a middle-class drinking 'epidemic' in over-50s?

Conclusion This study showed that higher-risk drinking was linked to a number of factors the researchers described as "middle-class", like higher educational attainment, being socially active and good ratings of health. Professor Jose Iparraguirre, author of the research, said in the Guardian: "Because this group is typically healthier than other parts of the older population, they might not realise that what they are doing is putting their health in danger". There are a few reasons to be cautious with these findings. The study produced a lot of results, so there is a risk some were chance findings. This is particularly relevant, as the analysis focused on higher-risk drinking. Of the large number of people taking part in this survey, only a small chunk (3-7%) fell into this category. Analyses based on these smaller numbers are more likely to give chance findings. Also, the study only tracked people for a maximum of three years, which isn’t particularly long. Studies tracking drinking behaviour over longer periods of time might show different patterns. The study used a representative group of UK older adults, which is a strength. However, we can’t be sure this paints a totally realistic picture across the UK, as there may be geographical variation. The researchers tell us that heavy drinking in older age is linked to death in the short term. This means there was a risk of higher-than-normal numbers of older moderate drinkers, as heavy drinkers might h...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Lifestyle/exercise Older people Food/diet Source Type: news