Consuming wine as you grow older ...

[JasonZ]

Forbes -- Your Health: Living Longer, Drinking More

In an article on Forbes.com, there is a discussion of the changes in drinking habits of people as they age ... based on a study being published in the March issue of the American Journal of Public Health.

The article concludes

While it's natural to cut back on drinking as you age, new research suggests recent generations of older Americans are cutting back just a little less than their parents did.

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What I found interesting, and somewhat disturbing was the definition of "drinking":

Males, whites, unmarried people, smokers and the well-educated--along with the young--were all more likely to drink than those in other groups, the study found. (The researchers defined drinking as downing at least 12 drinks over a year).

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Do you think one drink a month constitutes "drinking"?

[docsconz]

Yes. Not a lot, but yes, IMO it does constitute "drinking". One does not have to be an alcoholic or drink at alcoholic levels to be considered a "drinker". What significance this level of drinking has medically vs. someone who drinks more frequently is a whole other question.

[rich]

My wife and I share a bottle of wine every evening with dinner (90% red). I wonder what category that is?

Interestingly (I'm 54), I drink more now then I ever did as a teenager or in my early twenties. I've been drinking wine every night with dinner for the last 25-30 years. I rarely drink anything else - once in a while a beer, especially in the summer at an outdoor BBQ. If I have a scotch every two months or so, it's a lot.

[slbunge]

I'm thinking it is the wine drinking adults who are tipping the scales here. Previous generations have had much smaller populations who drink wine regularly (with meals or without). Seems like the burgeoning interest in wine amongst the US baby-boomers in middle to upper-middle class would definitely register as 'more alcohol consumed'.

It would be interesting to know if Europeans also had a similar drop off of alcohol consumption as age increases. My hunch would be no.

With regards to 12 drinks a year, it seems low to me. The trick is where do you draw the line. Likely it was out of convenience as the researches probably identified a clean statistical break there.

[waves2ya]

There's a long thread on Wine Consumption with everyone's mea culpa's; btw - I would not consider 12 drinks a year drinking anything.

How ridiculous.

Anyhow - a tangential thread - my GP (Dr.) says it's fairly common for folks to develop an intolerance to wine (and rich foods - aghast!) as you age. Presentation is usually around 40...

May account for 'little purple pill' sales (and all those antacids).

I know as I've past that milestone the degree to which I can bash myself with food, drink - whatever - has diminished. I require more time to mend and find self abusive behavior less amusing, more confusing and particularly vengeful during 'recovery'.