Average number of drinks consumed per day remained stable over time among current drinkers ages 60+ within both genders and all age groups. Dawson et al. (2015) also reported stability for all adults ages 65+, and Kerr et al. (2012) also reported stability among older age groups. The fact that the average amount of alcohol consumed by older individuals did not change over time, coupled with an increasing number of individuals consuming alcohol, emphasizes the need to prepare for the future public health needs of a population that potentially includes more drinkers consuming alcohol at present levels. We note, however, that our calculation of average volume was based on current drinking, and did not consider the frequency of binge drinking.
