Search resultsAlcohol consumption, medical conditions, and health behavior in older adults
Title
Alcohol consumption, medical conditions, and health behavior in older adults
Publication type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2007
Authors
Journal
American Journal of Health Behavior
Volume
31
Issue
3
Pagination
238 - 248
Date published
2007
ISBN
10873244 (ISSN)
Keywords
Aged, Aged, 80 and over, alcohol, Alcohol Drinking, article, Behavioral health risks, body mass, Body Mass Index, California, comparative study, Dietary Fats, drinking behavior, ethnicity, ethnology, fat intake, feeding behavior, Female, gender, Health Behavior, health maintenance organization, Health Maintenance Organizations, health status, health survey, Health Surveys, high risk behavior, human, Humans, Logistic Models, male, obesity, Older adults, psychological aspect, Risk-Taking, sex difference, Sex Factors, smoking, statistical model, United States
Abstract
Objectives: To examine associations between drinking patterns, medical conditions, and behavioral health risks among older adults. Methods: Analyses compared survey participants (health plan members ages 65 to 90, N = 6662) who drank moderately to those who drank over recommended limits or did not drink. Results: Overlimit drinking was associated with smoking; not trying to eat low-fat foods (in men), and lower BMI (in women). Predictors of not drinking during the prior 12 months included ethnicity, lower education, worse self-reported health, diabetes and heart problems. Conclusions: Significant relationships exist between health and alcohol consumption patterns, which vary by gender.