Changes in wine consumption are influenced most by health: Results from a population survey of South Australians in 2013

Aims: Individuals change their wine consumption over their life course, and mean volume typically declines with increasing age. Research on the reasons individuals change their consumption has primarily focused on youth/the young, but not on older adults. This study's aim was to ascertain changes in wine consumption over a 12-month period in Australians at different ages and what influenced these changes. Methods: As part of the Spring 2013 South Australian Health Omnibus Survey, persons (n=2,908) aged 15 years and over who had most recently had a birthday in the selected household were interviewed in their home by trained interviewers. Of these, 48.9% were males and their mean age was 46.3 (standard deviation 18.9) years. Results: Regular, light-moderate wine consumers were generally stable in the amount of wine they drank over a 12 month period, particularly those aged 55 years and older. They generally cited health (48.0%) as a reason for decreasing their wine consumption. Those who usually consumed three to four standard drinks on days they drank wine were also more likely to give health (54.3%) as a reason for decreasing their consumption, as were heavy wine consumers (57.7%). The 25-to 34-year age-group was more likely to have decreased (36% vs 26%) their wine consumption in the last 12 months. The 15-to 24-year age-group was most likely to have increased (28% vs 10%) their wine consumption in the last 12 months. Health was most cited as the reason for decreasing this consumption, while family and friends were most cited as the reason for increasing this consumption. Conclusion: In this representative population of South Australians, the wine consumption of previously identified at-risk groups for both short- and long-term harms, ie, youth and older adults, as well as excessive and heavy drinkers, was most influenced by health, family and friends, and employment.