Reduced drinking with age: Is it normal?

Abstract

Research suggests that alcohol consumption declines steadily with age. However, most studies are cross-sectional surveys, rather than longitudinal studies. Although it is generally assumed that the findings from cross-sectional studies indicate that the consumption of alcohol declines because of factors associated with ageing, survey results such as these could reflect a cohort or period, rather than an ageing, effect. It may be that the current cohorts of older people drank less when they were young and have merely carried this pattern of consumption into old age. Thus, it may not be the case that it is ‘normal’ to consume less alcohol as we age.

The aim of this article is to examine the extent to which reductions in alcohol and drug consumption can be attributed to ageing, cohort, or period effects. Comparisons of three measures of alcohol consumption – abstinence, mean or moderate levels and heavy drinking – are made between Scotland, The Netherlands and the United States. Although the comparisons indicate that on average people drink less as they age, there is growing evidence that at least some of the apparent reduction in drinking with age can be accounted for by cohort differences, rather than the impact of ageing on drinking behaviour.

This is an important issue because if some of the age differences in drinking suggested by cross-sectional studies are due to a cohort or period effect, then it is plausible to hypothesize that the ‘baby boomers’ might carry their relatively high levels of alcohol consumption into old age. This means that not only would this very large cohort drink a relatively large amount over the life span, but might drink at levels above those recommended for a healthy old age.

• Alcohol consumption
• ageing
• abstinence
• older people
• healthy ageing