The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows. ~Sydney J. Harris
Binge drinking is usually viewed as a problem on college campuses, but many older adults may be overindulging in alcohol as well, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry.
Using data from a government survey of nearly 11,000 people age 50 and up, researchers found that 23 percent of men between the ages of 50 and 64 admitted to binge drinking in the past month, as did approximately 9 percent of women.
Among adults age 65 and older, more than 14 percent of men and 3 percent of women reported binging – defined as having five or more drinks on one occasion, on at least one day in the past month.
The message for doctors is that they should be asking their older patients specifically about binge drinking to help identify if there is a problem.