Alcohol abuse
Friday, 21 Dec 2007 11:42
People in their 30s and 40s have admitted to exceeding alcohol limits
Alcohol abuse is not just a problem for young people but also for those in their 30s and 40s as well, according to a new survey.
While for many the stereotypical image of a binge drinker is of a 20-something drunk in a nightclub, it seems that middle-aged people drinking in their homes is just as much of a problem.
Almost half (44 per cent) of 30- to 50-year-olds quizzed by YouGov for the government's Know Your Limits campaign said they have not learned to stick to healthy limits - more than the 40 per cent of 18- to 29-year-olds who said the same.
One in three said drinking too much alcohol had ruined at least one occasion in the past year and nearly half (49 per cent) said excessive drinking resulted in a hangover so bad they were unable to function the next day.
This alcohol abuse is reflected in the number of alcohol-related admissions to hospitals.
NHS admissions for 35- to 49-year-olds with alcohol-related conditions rose from around 50,000 in 2002/03 to around 75,000 in 2005/06.
Problems include liver cirrhosis, stroke, coronary heart disease and pancreatitis.
Between 1991 and 2005 the number of alcohol-related deaths doubled in women aged 35 to 54 - a far larger increase than for any other age group.
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