Alcohol Consumption Among Middle-Aged and Elderly Men: A Community Study From Western India

AIMS: To assess the prevalence and pattern of alcohol use in a middle-aged and elderly population in Mumbai, India. METHODS: 50 220 men aged >/=45 years from the lower and lower-middle section of the general population were interviewed. RESULTS: 18.8% were currently consuming alcoholic beverages, of whom 32.8% drank on at least 6 days per week. The most popular beverage was locally distilled products of fruits and grain (country liquor). Seventy-five per cent of the consumers of country liquor would consume over 53 g of ethanol on a day when they drank, with 46.6% of these doing so on at least 6 days per week. CONCLUSIONS: Abstinence, and also heavy and frequent use of alcohol, are common in this population and the latter is likely to have significant public health implications.