In 1996, about 1 in 3 people over the age of 60 in Norway were abstainers. In 2016, less than 10 per cent did not touch alcohol, according to research carried out at the University Hospital of Northern Norway (UNN). – It is actually among the lowest reported in Europe. That’s what senior physician and specialist in psychiatry at UNN, Line Stelander, says. She has a PhD in alcohol habits in older people. Her research shows that the biggest change is that women over 60 now consume almost as much alcohol as men. – It is also a unique discovery in an international context. We think it is connected to the fact that Norway has a very egalitarian society, says Stelander. Senior doctor at UNN and specialist in psychiatry, Line Stelander, has researched alcohol habits in older people. Photo: Trygve Grønning / news Senior physician at UNN and specialist in psychiatry, Line Stelander, has researched alcohol habits in older people. Photo: Trygve Grønning / news The researcher does not want to point fingers, but believes it is important to be aware that older people now drink considerably more alcohol than before. – When we get older, we get less muscle mass, and we have less bag in the body. It simply means that you get a higher blood alcohol level from the same amount of alcohol than when you were younger, she says. – That is what many people are not aware of, both among the young and the elderly. How much is a unit? The senior physician at UNN is concerned that media reports about the positive effects of alcohol may give the population an incorrect picture of the effects and side effects. – For example, it may say that a little red wine is good for preventing heart disease, dementia or other major public diseases, she says. – But research from the last ten years has clearly disproved that. There are no health benefits from enjoying alcohol, apart from the fact that it can be social and provide comfort in small to moderate amounts. But what are moderate amounts, and how much is a unit? – It is very easy to think that a couple of glasses of wine with food is fine, but now the wine glasses have become bigger than they were before, says Stelander. – We have made some attempts to measure two or three glasses of wine from the more modern glasses, and it can actually be as much as a whole bottle of wine in three glasses. The researcher therefore believes that one should be careful about using the number of glasses as a unit of measure for how many units one consumes. In Norway, a unit of alcohol is defined as 12 grams of ethanol. According to Stelander, this amounts to 1.2 deciliters of wine with twelve percent alcohol content. – If you take it in a modern, large wine glass, I think many people will be surprised at how small it actually is, says Stelander. Harald and Gro Wang: The couple say they like to have a glass of wine with their meal, both on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. – I think a glass of wine with dinner is sensible, but it doesn’t need to be more, says Harald. – But if we have something we think is very good and are looking forward to, for example lutefisk, then we drink both beer and dram, says Gro. They also like to have a glass of cognac with their coffee, when they are going to watch the Dagsrevyen on Friday and Saturday – but they share that. – It’s going very well. We rarely argue about the last drop, says Harald. Jon Andersson: Andersson thinks it must be okay to have a beer a day, or 6-8 glasses a week. – But of course it depends on where you are in life then , he says. But he notices that alcohol has a different effect on the body now than when he was younger. – I can tolerate less, quite simply. There is also a bigger hangover, says Andersson. – Interesting to see Håvard Sandberg is deputy chairman of the council for the elderly in Tromsø municipality. He says they are not familiar with the research, and thus have not dealt with it. Nevertheless, he does not rule out that they may do so. – If it is the case that alcohol is a cover for loneliness, then it is very serious, but I am not aware of that research and must take all possible precautions, says Sandberg. – But all topics that affect the well-being of the elderly in everyday life are interesting for us to look at. How many units of alcohol do you drink per week? Fewer than two units Between two and six units More than six units Does not drink alcohol Does not have a record Show result Two units a week The senior physician at UNN believes it is important to have an open dialogue with the GP or health personnel about how much alcohol one actually consumes, because even in small amounts it can be harmful. Especially in combination with medicines or other diseases. – For example, just over a quarter of those over 65 are prescribed sleeping pills or tranquilizers. Together with alcohol, they can have unexpected side effects, and many may find that they become confused or have an easier time falling, says Stelander. She believes it is difficult to give clear advice on how much alcohol is safe to consume in a week, because the knowledge base and guidelines are constantly being updated. But she refers to the latest guidelines that have been published internationally. According to the Canadian authorities, the risk of alcohol-related consequences, for yourself and others, increases if you consume more than two units per week. – They apply to the general population. There will of course be individual variations, but if you use medicines you should be careful, says Stelander. The latest guidelines published internationally for alcohol consumption state that the risk of alcohol-related consequences increases with more than two units a week. Photo: Trygve Grønning / news High consumption among those with a high income The research carried out at UNN shows that successful older people, with a high level of education, stand out. – There seem to be more and more people in that group who may have a high consumption. It is often in contrast to who you can expect to have health challenges, says Stelander. – It is perhaps a slightly unexpected group, which means that they may also then go under the radar.
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Older people drink more alcohol than 20 years ago – news Troms and Finnmark
