Experts note rise in alcohol use among older adults – Harvard Gazette Skip to content The Harvard Gazette Search for: Arts & Humanities Business & Economy Campus & Community The Coronavirus Update Events Health & Medicine Honoring the Class of 2021 National & World Affairs News & Announcements Photography The Quest for Racial Justice Science & Technology The Solutions Series News + About Accessibility Athletics News and Scores For Media & Journalists Privacy Policy Trademark The Daily Gazette Sign up for daily emails to get the latest Harvard news. 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Maybe. Epstein-Barr virus may be leading cause of MS The stars align for the Pudding Pot We don’t need a civil war to be in serious trouble As the baby boomer generation moves into retirement age, it is expected that by the year 2034, older adults (ages 65 and up) will outnumber children  in the United States for the first time in history. As the population ages, demand for health care will increase, and rising rates of alcohol use in older adults may create additional challenges to an already burdened health care system. Trends in alcohol use in older adults Alcohol use in older adults has been trending upward over the years, particularly among women. One epidemiologic survey determined that in the United States between 2001 and 2013, among people 65 and older, the rate of alcohol use disorder increased 107 percent. The University of Michigan’s 2021 National Poll on Healthy Aging found that although the majority of older adults surveyed were drinking alcohol at low to moderate levels, there was a subset of older adults exceeding the recommended guidelines for alcohol use. In particular, 20 percent of respondents drank alcohol four or more times per week; 27 percent reported having six or more drinks on at least one occasion in the past year; and 7 percent reported alcohol-related blackouts. Negative effects of alcohol use in older adults Drinking too much alcohol can have negative physical and mental health consequences, including heart and liver problems, memory issues, mood disorders, as well as an increased risk of cancer and a weakened immune system. In addition, age-related changes in the body place older adults who drink alcohol at additional risk. This is an excerpt from an article that appears on the Harvard Health Publishing website.  To read the full story Dawn E. Sugarman is an assistant professor in the department of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and a research psychologist at McLean Hospital in the division of alcohol, drugs, and addiction. Shelly F. Greenfield is a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and the Kristine M. Trustey Endowed Chair of Psychiatry at McLean Hospital.    Editor's Picks World Rescuing MLK and his Children’s Crusade Tomiko Brown-Nagin’s book traces tactics of groundbreaking lawyer Constance Baker Motley amid pivotal protests Health Epstein-Barr virus may be leading cause of MS First study to provide ‘compelling evidence of causality’ Science How a bubble gives birth to young stars Astronomers discover the chain of events that gave Earth its star-filled solar system Trending Turns out smarter kids are made, not born Omicron could peak in U.S. fairly soon. Maybe. 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