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Alcoholism Increasing Among
Women, Elderly
Kyodo News
June 8, 2010
Japan
Alcohol dependency is growing among women and the elderly, according to a new government study.
A health ministry research team headed by Susumu Higuchi, assistant director of the Kurihama Alcoholism Center, conducted the study at 11 hospitals across the nation between 1997 and 2007 on new patients suffering from alcoholism.
According to the team's findings, the number of patients rose 23 percent to 2,614 from 2,119 over the 10-year period. Women patients jumped 53 percent to 486 in 2007 from 318 in 1997, while people aged 60 or older increased 42 percent to 698 from 493.
The percentage of female patients in 2007 represented 19 percent of the total. The percentage of those aged 60 and above accounted for 27 percent, and were mostly male patients, according to the team.
"The reason behind the increase is the changing trend of women's drinking habits, as more women began to work outside the home, and the rapid growth of the elderly population," Higuchi said.
"Such a trend was encouraged by alcoholic beverage companies, which promote products targeting women such as fruit cocktails," he said.
In general, women can be more easily affected by alcohol than men because they have smaller livers and slower metabolisms, experts say. Thus, if they consume the same amount of alcohol as men, the alcohol level in their blood can be much higher.
"They may have more opportunities to drink with men nowadays. They can compete with men in their work, but they should avoid challenging men in drinking," Higuchi added.
According to a 2006 study on in-patients at 54 hospitals nationwide, women in their 30s and men in their 50s made up the biggest numbers.
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