The way we choose to live can have a lot to say about how old we get. We are living longer and longer, and many are keen to make healthy choices. But did you know that the choices you make in the middle of life can mean a lot? Now new research shows, among other things, the role alcohol can play in this puzzle. If you stay away for the most part, there is a good chance that you will live to be 90 years old. – Not smoking is the most important factor in reaching 90, followed by physical activity. But the chances decrease with the use of alcohol. Our results show that if you don’t drink or only drink a couple of times a year, you have a greater chance of living to the age of 90. That’s what Tormod Brenn says to news. He is a professor at UiT Norway’s Arctic University. Brenn believes that people in their 50s should be aware of their drinking patterns. How often do you drink alcohol? More than 2-3 times a week Less than 2-3 times a week Show result 120 bikket 90 years The new study, which was recently published in the Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, is based on data from the Tromsø survey. Around 800 men have participated. The Tromsø investigation began in 1974. At the time, the main goal was to find out why so many middle-aged men died of cardiovascular disease. Thus, the first examinations in this study were carried out in 1979. At that time, the men were between 50–54 years old. They went through a health check and answered questions about smoking, physical activity, marital status and alcohol use. The questions about alcohol mainly focused on how often they drank: Never or a couple of times a year, 1–2 times a month, about once a week or daily. They were also asked how often they felt drunk. In 2019, the participants were followed up. It turned out that 120 of the men turned 90, and most had alcohol habits that stood out. A little alcohol made a big difference Fully 60 per cent of the 90-year-olds stated that they never drank, or only drank a couple of times a year. Brenn is surprised at how little alcohol actually had a negative effect. – What surprised me was that even a moderate drinking pattern in my life had such a big impact later on. Much greater chance of early death, he says. The researchers are not sure why this is so, but it may have something to do with the fact that people who drink little in their 50s may drink more later in life. – There are signs that older people are now drinking more. The professor goes on to say that recent research shows an increased health risk with alcohol use. And that a larger study also shows how low consumption of alcohol causes people to age faster. Professor Tormod Brenn has led the study. He says the results can say something about the association between alcohol and death, but that they cannot be sure of the direct effect. Photo: Bjørn-Kåre Iversen It has long been said that a small glass of red wine a day can have good effects on our heart. But later research has more or less dispelled this myth. The new study from Tromsø helps to emphasize this – that alcohol is harmful to health and that it reduces the chance of living a long time. The survival curves showed increased mortality already in the 60s among people with higher alcohol consumption, according to the research. There were no women in this study, because in its infancy the Tromsø study focused on men’s heart health. Tormod Brenn therefore does not want to speculate on what results it could have had. – If women born between 1925–30 had been called to the Tromsø survey in 1979-80, they would of course have been included in the study, he concludes. The professor believes it is important that people in their 50s reflect on their own drinking habits. Photo: Frank May / NTB scanpix
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Do you drink often? Then the chance of living until you are 90 is less – news Trøndelag
