Stott, David J (2020) Alcohol and mortality in older people: understanding the J-shaped curve. Age and Ageing, 49, (3), pp. 332-333. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afaa027.
External website: https://academic.oup.com/ageing/article/49/3/332/5...
Key points:
• The harms of drinking alcohol to excess are widely accepted. However, it has been claimed that there are health benefits from low–moderate levels of drinking, including improved survival in older people.
• There is a strong body of evidence that shows a J-shaped association between alcohol intake and mortality, with lowest mortality in low–moderate drinkers.
• Critical analysis of the epidemiological data has shown that the apparent health benefits associated with low–moderate alcohol intake are due to other factors and the optimal level of alcohol intake for health and longevity is zero.
• This conclusion is supported by Mendelian randomisation studies that have found that genetic variants associated with lower intake or non-drinking are associated with the best health outcomes.
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[See related article in Age and Aging Alcohol consumption in later life and reaching longevity: the Netherlands Cohort Study]
B Substances > Alcohol
P Demography, epidemiology, and history > Population dynamics > Substance related mortality / death
T Demographic characteristics > Elderly / Older person
VA Geographic area > Europe > Netherlands
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