Alcohol consumption profile by time in middle-aged men: a longitudinal study based on three different diagnostic...

Area of Science:

• Addiction research
• Longitudinal studies
• Men's health

Background:

• Alcohol consumption patterns can change throughout adulthood.
• Understanding these changes is crucial for public health interventions.
• Previous research often lacks longitudinal data on middle-aged men.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare aggregate measures of heavy or problem drinking over a 5-year interval in middle-aged men.
• To examine variations in alcohol consumption and related measures at the individual level.
• To assess the stability of drinking habits in middle age.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal study of 114 men aged 40 to 45 years.
• Alcohol consumption measured by self-report, Malmo-modified Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (Mm-MAST), and serum carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT).
• Data collected over a 5-year interval (1989-1994).

Main Results:

• Self-reported alcohol consumption and CDT levels decreased significantly with age.
• No significant change in Mm-MAST results was observed.
• The proportion of heavy drinkers identified by Mm-MAST increased with age, while self-reports and CDT decreased.
• Individual drinking habits showed variability, with some increasing and others decreasing consumption.

Conclusions:

• Alcohol drinking habits are not stable in middle age.
• Social consequences of drinking, as measured by Mm-MAST, may become more apparent with age, even at lower consumption levels.
• Mm-MAST appears to be a sensitive indicator for detecting problem drinking over time in this population.