Severe threat to baby boomers if they carry current drinking patterns into old age
Risks include higher morbidity levels and greater negative impact on the NHS
Age-based sensible drinking limits should be introduced, according to Mary Gilhooly, Professor of Gerontology at Brunel Universitys School of Health Science and Social Care.
As we age, our ability to metabolise alcohol decreases. Older people, therefore, have higher blood alcohol levels than young people after the same amount of alcohol. Just as gender differences in the ability to metabolise alcohol led to the introduction of gender based sensible drinking limits, Professor Gilhooly believes there should also be age-based drinking limits.
Professor Gilhooly comments: If the baby boomers carry their current drinking patterns into old age, they are likely to experience higher than anticipated levels of illness. Given the size of the baby boomer population, even a slight increase in alcohol-related health problems could have a major negative impact on the NHS.
Middle-aged and older people need to be aware of the impact of ageing on alcohol metabolism. They need to reduce alcohol consumption levels with age. Healthcare professionals should also be trained to take alcohol histories from older patients and explore patterns of alcohol consumption to prevent medication/alcohol interactions.
As chairman of The Alcohol and Healthy Ageing Group, Health Scotland, Professor Gilhooly and her team researched four core areas:
Consumption patterns Although older people currently drink lower quantities of alcohol than younger people, it could be that the present generation of older people have always drunk less and have continued that pattern into old age. However, over recent years, the number of older people who exceed recommended levels of alcohol consumption appears to be increasing.
Social factors influencing in old age Socio-economic factors are complex, with higher levels of binge drinking reported within lower socio-economic groups but higher regular consumption within higher socio-economic groups. The relatively small amount of evidence on attitudes to drinking in old age suggests that older people view alcohol problems as something that happens to younger people and consider alcohol to be medicinal.
Advantages and disadvantages of alcohol consumption Too much alcohol is bad for you, causing damage to the liver and brain and increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Older people, with decreasing ability to metabolise alcohol, are much more likely to suffer impaired brain function.
There is a debate about the possible benefits of small amounts of alcohol in terms of reducing cardiovascular disease and possibly dementia. Professor Gilhooly believes that any such benefit is small and occurs at levels of drinking which are much lower than people realise.
Alcohol and medicines Various health problems are associated with advancing age and there is likely to be a greater need for multiple medications. Many medications interact with alcohol and may cause increased side effects. Older people on medication will need to abstain or significantly alter their alcohol intake. There is some evidence that some people alter their medication regime in order to have a drink. This is very risky behaviour.
Professor Gilhooly concludes: Alcohol is a widely used drug in todays society. Within sensible limits, its a pleasurable experience and an integral part of our social activity. However, there is a danger of too high a proportion of the ageing population exceeding recommended drinking levels that are currently set too high for older adults. The introduction of age-based drinking limits is long overdue.
Moving forward, Professor Gilhooly and the Brunel University Health Science team are looking to further understand the impact of alcohol on healthy ageing.
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