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Research by King's College London has found that a fifth of people over the age of 65 are consuming unsafe levels of alcohol, which is putting their health at risk.

The study used anonymous GP data from 27,991 people aged over 65 living in Lambeth, South London. Of the 9,248 people who reported drinking alcohol, 21.4 per cent drank more than the safe national guidelines of 21 units of alcohol a week for men and 14 units of alcohol a week for women.

Researchers also observed that the five per cent of men and women consuming the most alcohol were drinking more than 49 units and more than 23 units per week respectively. Unsafe older drinkers were also more likely to be males of higher socioeconomic status.

Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can have a detrimental effect on health and lead to severe problems like alcohol poisoning, heart disease, liver disease and stroke. This study highlights the need for greater awareness of the potential risks of alcohol-related ill health in older people.