Patterns of Alcohol Consumption and Associated Factors in a Population-Based Sample of 70-Year-Olds: Data from the Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort Study 2014–16

Abstract

Older adults of today consume more alcohol, yet knowledge about the factors associated with different consumption levels is limited in this age group. Based on the data from a population-based sample (n = 1156, 539 men and 617 women) in The Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort Study 2014–16, we examined sociodemographic, social, and health-related factors associated with alcohol consumption levels in 70-year-olds, using logistic regression. Total weekly alcohol intake was calculated based on the self-reported amount of alcohol consumed. Alcohol consumption was categorized as lifetime abstention, former drinking, moderate consumption (≤98 g/week), and at-risk consumption (>98 g/week). At-risk consumption was further categorized into lower at-risk (98–196 g/week), medium at-risk (196–350 g/week), and higher at-risk (≥350 g/week). We found that among the 1156 participants, 3% were lifetime abstainers, 3% were former drinkers, 64% were moderate drinkers, and 30% were at-risk drinkers (20% lower, 8% medium, 2% higher). Among several factors, former drinking was associated with worse general self-rated health (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.08–2.51) and lower health-related quality of life (measured by physical component score) (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.91–0.97), higher illness burden (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.07–1.27), and weaker grip strength (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.94–0.98). Higher at-risk drinkers more often had liver disease (OR 11.41, 95% CI 3.48–37.37) and minor depression (OR 4.57, 95% CI 1.40–14.95), but less contacts with health care (OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.11–0.92). Our findings demonstrate the importance of classifications beyond abstinence and at-risk consumption, with implications for both the prevention and clinical management of unhealthy consumption patterns in older adults.

The effect of alcohol consumption on all-cause mortality in 70-year-olds in the context of other lifestyle risk factors: Results from the Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort study

“…Moreover, it is important to note that mortality rate alone may not fully capture the negative health outcomes associated with alcohol consumption, as other factors also can have signi cant impact on overall well-being. For example, we have previously reported on higher rates of depression and liver disease among 70-year-olds with highest weekly consumption (41).…”

“…Model 3 further included somatic burden score, depression, functional independence, and self-rated health as potential mediating factors. Potential confounding factors were selected a priori based on previous literature (15,(39)(40)(41). The effect of high alcohol consumption on mortality was examined using both risk consumption (> 98 g/week) and hazardous drinking (AUDIT-C score ≥ 5 for men, ≥ 4 for women).…”

Development and Performance Evaluation of an IoT-Integrated Breath Analyzer

“…For instance, in a previously documented systematic review by our team, it was revealed there is a strong correlation between alcohol consumption patterns and age, proximity to alcohol outlets, familial backgrounds, socioeconomic backgrounds, and religious influences [7]. Similarly, other recent records documented the social determinants of alcohol use and its consequences among communities [8][9][10][11][12][13][14].…”

Attrition in the Gothenburg H70 birth cohort studies, an 18-year follow-up of the 1930 cohort

“…At the first follow-up of the H70 1930 cohort in year 2005, the sample was further extended to include male and female residents in Gothenburg born on days 2, 3,5,6,11,12,16,18,20,21,24,27, or 30 of each month (except for day 27, were only those born in January-May were included).…”

“…Smoking was dichotomized as being a current smoker vs. past or never smoker. Alcohol risk consumption was defined according to the NIAAA guidelines as >98 g alcohol/week ( 16 ) and was based on self-reported alcohol consumption during the last month. Height and weight were measured, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated.…”