Study finds drinking may be harmful for older adults, even at low levels

Investigators have explored whether health-related or socioeconomic risk factors can modify the associations between alcohol consumption patterns and mortality among older patients.

In the study published in JAMA Network Open, the investigators analyzed the health outcomes of more than 135,000 adult patients aged 60 years and older. The participants were first asked detailed questions about their alcohol use. The investigators used their answers to categorize them into groups on the basis of their alcohol consumption: occasional, low-risk, moderate-risk or high-risk drinking.

Health-related risk factors were identified at every level of regular drinking. For instance, compared with those in the occasional drinking group, those in the low-risk drinking group were about 10% more likely to die from cancer, those in the moderate-risk drinking group had about a 10% to 15% higher mortality risk and those in the high-risk drinking group had a 33% higher mortality risk.

The investigators concluded that more research is needed to better understand the findings and the unique risks of mortality among older patients who consume alcohol.

Read more: JAMA Network Open

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