One in five over-65s who drink is consuming an 'unsafe' level of alcohol

Around 20 per cent of older people who drink alcohol are consuming it at unsafe levels – that is, over 21 units of alcohol for men and 14 units for women each week – according to a study by King’s College London.

The research carried out in inner-city London, and published in BMJ Open, found these unsafe older drinkers from the baby boomer generation (those born between 1946 and 1964) are more likely to be male and relatively affluent and represent an ever increasing population of people drinking at dangerous levels.

The researchers analysed the health records of 27,991 people aged 65 and over in the borough of Lambeth in London. From them, they identified 9,248 older people who had reported consuming alcohol and of these nearly two thousand people drank at unsafe levels. Less than half (46 per cent) of people in the study were men, but they comprised 60 per cent of the drinkers and 65 per cent of those drinking at unsafe levels, the team found.

Dr Tony Rao, lead author from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King's College London said: “As the baby boomer generation become seniors, they represent an ever increasing population of older people drinking at levels that pose a risk to their health.

"This study shows the need for greater awareness of the potential for alcohol-related harm in older people, particularly those of higher socio-economic status, who may suffer the consequences of ill health from alcohol at an earlier age than those in previous generations.”

Among the five per cent drinking the most alcohol, men were consuming more than 49 units a week - more than double the recommended maximum - and women 23 units a week.

The researchers also found that the problem of unsafe drinking was far more common among the white British and Irish population, than those from Caribbean, African or Asian ethnic groups.

Study author Dr Mark Ashworth, a primary care researcher and GP said: “This research highlights that as GPs we need be more aware of the risk of older people, especially men, drinking excessively.

“Reducing alcohol misuse is important to prevent premature death and serious negative health effects, such as alcoholic liver disease, which are a big burden on our health system. Alcohol excess carries additional risks in the older population such as falls and confusion.”