The Surprising New Health Risk For 50-Somethings
By Michael Roizen, M.D., and Mehmet Oz, M.D. A surprising number of 50- and 60-somethings have more in common with the college kid next door than just complete adoration for their iPhones and a crush on Megan Fox or Daniel Craig.
A recent survey uncovered that a surprising number of middle-aged and older people binge drink. As in, they drink a lot in a short amount of time -- more than five drinks on one occasion. And of alcohol users in this age bracket, 14 percent of men and 3 percent of women said they'd binged at least once in the past 30 days.
The risk isn't that they could beat the pants off the college kids at beer pong. Binge drinkers are 14 times more likely to drive while impaired by alcohol. Just one instance of that pushes up the risk of a fatal accident by 120 percent. And binge drinking comes with a higher risk of high blood pressure, stroke, other cardiovascular diseases, liver disease, poor control of diabetes, injury and even damage to the brain. The wreckage can extend to your bank account: Binge drinking is associated with a higher likelihood of gambling.
So how did such big, dangerous numbers go unnoticed? Traditional screenings for alcohol problems often don't identify binge drinkers. So if your doc asks how often you drink more than five at a time, be honest. All you have to lose is a habit that puts you in danger. Plus, most binge drinkers need healthy buddies and help, so ask for it. You might be surprised at how many of us want to see you stick around.
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The YOU Docs, Mehmet Oz and Mike Roizen, are authors of "YOU: The Owner's Manual." Want more? See "The Dr. Oz Show" on TV (check local listings). To submit questions, go to www.RealAge.com. (c) 2009 Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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