One in five London pensioners drink at ‘unsafe’ levels

Middle class pensioners in London are risking their health by consuming alcohol at “unsafe levels”, the equivalent of a bottle of whisky every week, a report says.

The study found the unsafe older drinkers were more likely to be male and of higher socioeconomic status

According to research by King’s College London, published in online journal BMJ Open, one in five men are consuming more than 21 units of alcohol while one in five women are drinking over 14 units for women each week – exceeding the alcohol consumption levels considered safe by the government.

The research, conducted using GP health records in inner-city London revealed the unsafe older drinkers were more likely to be male and of higher socioeconomic status. 46% of people studied were male and they accounted for 60% of total drinkers and 65% of the total unsafe drinkers.

The researchers used data for 27,991 people aged 65 and over in the Borough of Lambeth in London. 9,248 older people identified as alcohol consumers and of these 1,980 people drank at unsafe levels.

The average alcohol consumption was 6 units per week for all over-65s who reported drinking – however, the top 5% of men and women reported consuming more than 49 units per week and 23 units per week respectively.

In the conclusion of the study the authors noted that results from inner-city London may not apply to other areas of the UK, and said that while the study contains an almost complete sample of older people in the area, many may have under-reported their alcohol consumption to their GP.

Earlier this year a study has revealed that even “moderate” drinking can cause “abnormal” changes in the heart’s structure and function in older people.