Male binge drinkers peak at 25-years-old
A new study has found men’s alcohol consumption peaks at the age of 25 when they grow out of binge drinking, only to become daily drinkers in middle age.
Men’s alcohol intake peaks at age 25, but every day drinking is more common in later lifeAlcohol intake rises during teenage years and reaches its highest levels in terms of frequency and quantity in the mid-twenties.
For men, consumption hits approximately 23 units per week, while for women this is much lower at around eight units per week.
After the age of 25, more than 50% of men will drink less alcohol before plateauing during their 30s and 40s
By age 60, men consume between five to 10 units of alcohol per week, drinking either daily or on most days.
“I wasn’t shocked to see that alcohol volume changes over the life course, but the high proportion of older men drinking daily is a bit alarming,” commented Dr Annie Britton, lead researcher at University College London, who carried out the study.
“It raises concerns that they are becoming dependent on alcohol and there are risks in this age group mixing alcohol with medications.
“Drinking only monthly or on special occasions was more common among women than men.”
Researchers studied data from 174,000 alcohol observations over a 34-year period from 1979 to 2013, comprising people born in different eras.
“We have shown that people change the way they consume alcohol as they age, and as such, studies reliant on a single measure of alcohol intake are likely to be biased,” commented Dr Britton.
“It is essential that the dynamic nature of exposure to alcohol over the life span is incorporated into the estimates of harm.”
