Older Aussie women replace teens as nation’s top boozers

More older Australians are bucking health warnings and enjoying a drink at the end of the day, with female over-50s replacing teenagers as the nation’s biggest drinkers.

The startling trend was revealed in the latest data from the Australian Institute of Health and Wellbeing, which also shows illicit drug usage among the demographic remaining steady.

While 18–24 year olds have reduced their alcohol consumption from 20 per cent in 2007 to 12.8 per cent in 2016, their mothers and grandmothers have been cracking open the bottles at a rapid pace.

Females aged 50–59 are now the most likely to drink more than two standard drinks per day (from 11.2 per cent in 2007 to 13.0 per cent in 2016), with those aged 60-69 upping their quota, too.

The results are surprising to many given the well-known health implications associated with drinking alcohol.

The drinking rates for men aged 50-69 held steady with three in 10 likely to exceed the recommended amount of two drinks per day.

Alcohol repercussions change with age

The effect of alcohol on our body changes with age as our metabolism becomes sluggish and our livers are less adept at processing toxins.

There are also risks associated with mixing alcohol with medications, which is particularly worrying given the high number of over-50s taking prescription drugs.

A recent study found that giving up alcohol for just one month can reduce fat in the liver, which can help ward off liver disease. 

Participants in the study, published in New Scientist, also lost an average of 1.5 kilograms of weight and reported improved sleep.

Blood cholesterol dropped by almost 5 per cent. The only negative was that people reported less social contact.

Are you surprised over-50s are drinking so much? Do you worry about the effects of drinking or is it not an issue for you?