More baby boomers and seniors are binge drinking, downing five or more drinks at a time.
Twenty-two percent of men and 9 percent of women aged 50 to 64 reported binge drinking within the last month, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health found.
In this age group, “at-risk” drinking – two or more drinks per day – was found among 19 percent of men and 13 percent of women.
The group aged 65 and up reported binge drinking in 14 percent of men and 3 percent of women. “At-risk” drinking was found among 13 percent of men and eight percent of women in this age group.
If baby boomers continue their current drinking habits into their senior years, they could be compounding health problems that arise as the body’s natural defenses are weakened, said Dan G. Blazer, M.D., Ph.D. Blazer is the study’s lead author and professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke University.
The negative health effects of binge drinking can range from minor injuries to more serious problems, such as stroke, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, neurological damage, and poor diabetes control, Blazer added.
Other findings from the study include:
- Overall 66 percent of men and 55 percent of women reported alcohol use during the past year.
- Binge drinking was more common among those with a higher income and people who use tobacco and illegal drugs.
- Caucasian (19 percent), African-American (21 percent), and Hispanic (25 percent) men had a higher prevalence of binge drinking than other ethnic groups (14 percent).
- African-American women had a higher rate of binge drinking compared to Caucasian women (10 percent vs. 6 percent).
- Being separated, divorced, or widowed was associated with at-risk and binge drinking among men. Non-medical use of prescription drugs was associated with binge drinking in women.
Illegal drug use also is increasing among baby boomers.
