Effects of alcohol habits on physical functions in community-dwelling elderly males

Abstract

: Drinking alcohol has been reported as a risk factor for a reduced healthy life expectancy. However, several studies suggested that drinking has a positive effect on health. The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in physical functions of elderly men living in the community by classifying them into three groups according to the frequency of drinking (no drinking group, occasional drinking group, and daily drinking group). As a result of the comparison of the three groups, the enveloped area repre-senting standing balance was significantly larger in the daily-drinking group than in the no-drinking group and the occasional-drinking group. This study suggested that daily drinking is one of the factors that reduces standing balance in elderly men living in the community and that occasional drinking does not have an adverse effect on health.