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Biomedical subjects

Morten N Grønbaek

Publications and source records attributed to Morten N Grønbaek.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

[Alcohol consumption by middle-aged and elderly Danes from 1987 to 2003].

INTRODUCTION: The trend in alcohol consumption by middle-aged and elderly Danes has received little attention, but earlier studies indicated increased consumption. Social factors may influence the trend. Our objective was to investigate the trend in alcohol consumption by the middle-aged and elderly and inquire about significant trends among specific social subgroups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the Danish Health and Morbidity Survey carried out in 1987, 1994, 2000 and 2003, a total of 11,754 people aged 50 and older were asked about their alcohol consumption. The mean alcohol intake and the number of heavy drinkers were compared from year to year. RESULTS: The mean intake per day increased from 1.5 drinks in 1987 to 2.1 drinks in 2003 for men and from 0.5 drink in 1987 to 1.0 drink in 2003 for women. The percentage of elderly drinking above the sensible drinking limits increased from 15.2% to 20.4% for men and from 10.7% to 13.6% for women. The strongest increasing trend in the number of heavy drinkers was in the lowest socio-economic groups and among those married or cohabiting. CONCLUSION: The increased number of heavy drinkers among the middle-aged and elderly is of great importance to their general state of health. The increase has possibly been caused by a social and cultural development which has led to a generation of elderly who used to drink alcohol earlier in their lives and continue drinking in old age. More focus on alcohol consumption among the middle-aged and elderly in health policy initiatives is needed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

[Should the sensible drinking limits for adults be changed?].

The sensible drinking limits may be too high depending on sex, age, genetic variation and other factors. Recent research on the alcohol-related risk of breast cancer and the impact of drinking patterns on health calls for an update of the literature. We focus on studies of the effect of alcohol on morbidity and mortality and conclude that the maximum of 21 drinks per week for men and 14 for women may be maintained. We emphasize that episodic intake of alcohol increases the risk of death and that the beneficial effect of alcohol is reached at an intake of one drink per day. We also specify groups for whom the drinking limits are not valid.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

[Impact of a 10-year nation-wide campaign on knowledge of sensible drinking limits in Denmark].

INTRODUCTION: In Great Britain and in Denmark, strong efforts have been made to influence knowledge on the upper threshold of hazardous drinking. In Denmark, a campaign has been repeated every week 40 from 1990 to 2001 with information on the sensible drinking limits of 21 drinks per week for men and 14 drinks per week for women. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of this ongoing campaign on the level of knowledge of sensible drinking limits for men and women. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Every year from 1994 to 1999, random representative samples of 1,030 adult Danes were interviewed on the telephone. RESULTS: Our main finding was that the level of knowledge of sensible drinking limits for own sex increased in all subsets of the population throughout the period. However, at the end of the study period (1999), a total of 80% of highly educated young (18-25 years of age) men knew sensible drinking limits for own sex, while only 35% of uneducated older (more than 65 years old) men had knowledge on sensible drinking limits. The proportions were similar among women: Subjects admitting an intake higher than sensible for own sex, i.e. 21 and 14 drinks per week, respectively, had the highest knowledge of these drinking limits. DISCUSSION: We conclude that public health campaigns, such as the sensible drinking limit campaign, certainly has an impact on the level of awareness in the general population. Furthermore, those drinking more than 21 and 14 drinks per week, respectively, are reached by these campaigns.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

[The relation between life style, socioeconomic factors, social networks and suboptimal self-assessed health].

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the present study was to assess the relation between these life-style factors and suboptimal self-reported health. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out on a random sample of 12,040 men and women from Copenhagen, who had answered a questionnaire regarding smoking, alcohol intake, physical activity, socio-economic status, social network, and self-perceived health. RESULTS: Smoking, high alcohol intake, and physical inactivity are strongly associated with a suboptimal self-reported health. DISCUSSION: The assumption of a correlation between a high quality of life and a shorter life cannot be confirmed by this study.

Adult↗