Sporty seniors consume more alcohol according to study

"The frequency of alcohol abuse among older adults is increasing," wrote Sabine Weber from MedUni Vienna's Division of Social Psychiatry and her co-authors in the journal "European Psychiatry".

The experts analyzed the data of 3133 participants in a large international study in 13 countries. The average observation period was up to six years. The mean age of the test subjects at the start of the study was 54 years. The participants came from Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. 54.4 percent of the participants were female.

More physical activity, more alcohol

A "positive" association between physical activity and the frequency of drinking alcoholic beverages was already evident at the beginning of the study. With reported moderate physical activity, alcohol consumption increased by a factor of 1.9 compared to inactivity. With intensive physical activity, this even increased by a factor of 2.1. Men drank more overall, as did subjects with better health, depression and a higher level of education.

A similar picture also emerged over the course of the observation period. Moderate physical activity over a period of up to six years increased the frequency of alcohol consumption by a factor of 1.8, intensive sport by a factor of 1.9.

Particular risk for older people

Older senior citizens in particular could slip into a considerable health problem as a result: As part of senescence, the fluid balance changes, which increases the effect of alcohol. Cognitive performance becomes weaker, and alcohol intensifies this. The negative effects even extend to problems with taking necessary medication.

According to Sabine Weber's experts, counter-strategies are urgently needed. After all, the proportion of over-65s in the European Union is expected to rise to around 30 percent by 2070. Scientific studies have shown that a third of people with alcohol abuse only get into this situation at an advanced age.

The reasons for the observations made by the researchers about the association between alcohol consumption and physical activity are likely to be complex: on the one hand, regular sport leads to more social contact, which in turn could lead to more frequent drinking of alcohol in Western society. On the other hand, it was found that subjects with many other chronic illnesses drank less - apparently due to their health situation.

doi: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2025.2417