08/03/2012

Over 45s Three Times As Likely To Drink Almost Every Day

New evidence suggests that adults tend to drink more often as they get older: adults aged 45 and over were three times as likely as those aged under 45 to drink almost every day (13 per cent compared with 4 per cent), according to a report by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Over a fifth of men (22 per cent) aged 65 and over consumed alcohol almost every day compared with just 3 per cent of men aged between 16 and 24. The same pattern was apparent among women: 12 per cent of women aged 65 and over consumed alcohol almost every day compared with just 1 per cent of women aged between 16 and 24.

The survey also indicates that younger adults were more likely to have drunk heavily in the previous week than older adults: 24 per cent of men aged 16 to 24 drank more than 8 units of alcohol in a single day and 25 per cent of men aged 25 to 44, compared with 20 per cent of men aged 45 to 64, and only 7 per cent of men aged 65 and over.

Currently, the Government recommendations for daily alcohol intake are that it should not regularly exceed three to four units for men, and two to three units for women.

(CD)

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