New research published in the BMJ suggests being 'middle class' is linked to higher risk drinking amongst over 50's, attracting national media headlines. The study found factors such as higher educational attainment, being socially active and good ratings of health were associated with higher risk drinking.
Higher risk drinking, referred to as 'harmful drinking' in NICE guidelines, was defined by the study as drinking over 50 units per week in men and over 35 units per week in women.
For both men and women over 50, higher risk drinking was linked to higher educational attainment. Income was associated with higher risking drinking for women but not for men, while the number of cigarettes smoked correlated for both sexes. Single, separated or divorced men showed a greater risk of harmful drinking.
Reporting better health was also associated with the probability of drinking at higher risk levels, while neither depression or loneliness was found to be linked. Higher risk drinking was more likely among white men, but ethnicity was not significant for women. Employment was not significantly associated with risk, except retirement for females, which increases the likelihood of higher risk drinking.
Professor Jose Iparraguirre, one of the research authors, said:
“We can sketch—at the risk of much simplification—the problem of harmful drinking among people aged 50 or over in England as a middle class phenomenon: people in better health, higher income, with higher educational attainment and socially more active are more likely to drink at harmful levels”
Middle class and middle aged: a fair target?
In 2013, research published in the BMC found 'middle class' drinkers had low acceptance or awareness of health risks. In part this was attributed to perceptions that alcohol problems were confined to 'others' including younger 'binge drinkers', and belief that 'home drinking' was without risk.
Recently a Drinkaware Monitor report said that 45-64 year olds are more likely than 18-24 year olds to drink at risky levels owing to more frequent drinking throughout the week.
For policy makers, targeting 'middle class' over 50's may have legitamcy, though specific responses may not be clear cut. The report identifies the lack of seperate guidelines for older adults, something the RCP has called for. PHE's media response highlighted the role of NHS healthchecks for 40-74 year olds, which includes alcohol brief intervention. Minimum pricing is often cited as the key 'missing alcohol policy', though this group may arguably be less sensitive to pricing changes.
There are too of course those such as the Guardian's Christina Patterson, who declare 'Middle class drinking: it's one of my favourite things'. "It looks as though I have made my choice; many of us have made our choice. What we don’t yet know, and won’t until we see it, is quite how that choice will work out", she concludes.
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