Patterns of Alcohol Consumption in the Older Population of Spain, 2008-2010

Abstract Background Older adults are a growing segment of the European population and alcohol is an important cause of disease burden; thus, it is noteworthy that little information is available on alcohol intake among older adults in Europe. Objective The aim of this study was to examine alcohol co...

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Published in:Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 2015-02, Vol.115 (2), p.213-224
Main Authors: León-Muñoz, Luz M., PhD, Galán, Iñaki, MD, Donado-Campos, Juan, MD, Sánchez-Alonso, Fernando, MSc, López-García, Esther, PhD, Valencia-Martín, José L., MD, Guallar-Castillón, Pilar, MD, Rodríguez-Artalejo, Fernando, MD, PhD
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Alcohol Drinking - epidemiology
Cross-sectional
Cross-Sectional Studies
Diabetes Mellitus - epidemiology
Drinking patterns
Female
Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Health Behavior
Health Surveys
Humans
Internal Medicine
Male
Middle Aged
Older adults
Prevalence
Socioeconomic Factors
Spain
Spain - epidemiology
Surveys and Questionnaires
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Summary:Abstract Background Older adults are a growing segment of the European population and alcohol is an important cause of disease burden; thus, it is noteworthy that little information is available on alcohol intake among older adults in Europe. Objective The aim of this study was to examine alcohol consumption patterns and their association with demographic and clinical variables in the older population of Spain. Design This was a cross-sectional study. Participants/setting The sample included 3,058 individuals, representative of the Spanish population aged ≥60 years during 2008-2010. Main outcome measure Regular alcohol consumption was measured with a validated diet history questionnaire. The threshold between moderate and heavy drinking was ≥40 g alcohol/day in men (≥24 g in women). Binge drinking was defined as intake of ≥80 g alcohol in men (≥60 g in women) during any drinking occasion in the previous month, and problem drinking by a CAGE score ≥2. Statistical analysis performed The prevalence and 95% CI of the drinking patterns were calculated after accounting for sampling design. Results The prevalence of moderate drinking was 44.3% (95% CI 42.0% to 46.6%) and of heavy drinking was 7.8% (95% CI 6.7% to 8.9%). In total, 68.4% (95% CI 65.7% to 71.2%) of individuals obtained >80% of alcohol from wine and 61.8% (95% CI 58.9% to 64.6%) drank only with meals. Furthermore, 1% (95% CI 0.6% to 1.4%) showed binge drinking and 3.1% (95% CI 2.3% to 3.8%) showed problem drinking. Heavy alcohol consumption was significantly more frequent in men. Moderate alcohol consumption was significantly less frequent among women, persons who were not married, living alone, with a diagnosis of diabetes, receiving treatment for diabetes, and with suboptimal self-rated health. About 5% to 10% of individuals with diagnosed hypertension, diabetes, or cardiovascular disease showed heavy drinking. Among those taking sleeping pills or antidiabetes or antithrombotic treatment, 37% to 46% had moderate alcohol intake and 5% to 8% had heavy intake. Conclusions Alcohol consumption among older adults in Spain is frequent and mostly consistent with the traditional Mediterranean drinking pattern. However, a proportion of individuals were heavy drinkers and used medication that may interact with alcohol.
ISSN:2212-2672
2212-2680
DOI:10.1016/j.jand.2014.08.017