The Norwegians seem to have it pretty good. As a welfare state, the government redistributes all the income collected through taxes so that everyone can have access to the basics: education, health care and food.
But according to new research, wealthy Norwegian adults who drink a lot of alcohol have the advantage over their poorer peers when it comes to heart disease.
The study published in shows that in Norway your social class may influence the quantity of alcohol you drink and your risk of death from heart disease.
Norwegian Institute of Public Health research reveals that adults from poorer backgrounds actually drink less than their wealthier peers. But, they are also more likely to be hospitalised or to die from regularly drinking alcohol, as they experience a higher rate of alcohol-related hospitalisations and deaths.
“The lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality associated with frequent consumption appeared to be more profound among those with high socioeconomic position (SEP) throughout their life course than among those with middle and low SEP,” the study reads.
“We also observed higher CVD risk among very frequent consumers compared with infrequent consumers, but only among participants with low SEP.”
But, they are also more likely to be hospitalised or to die from drinking as they experience a higher rate of alcohol-related hospitalisations and deaths.
The study’s authors analysed the socioeconomic and health survey data, as well as cause of death details, from information on census forms on almost 208,000 Norwegian adults who were born before October 1960 (and aged over 57).
The results showed that people who drank alcohol two-to-three times a week had a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than people who didn’t drink. This association was more pronounced among people in the highest socioeconomic position.
People who drank more regularly (four-to-seven times per week) had an increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease if they were in the country’s lowest socioeconomic position.
What's the situation in Australia?
spokesperson, Melinda Lucas, says the situation is a bit different in Australia. Your social class does not typically influence how much you drink, purely for one reason – there’s no real distinction in drinking habits between Australia’s rich and poor, as the majority of Australian residents regularly drink alcohol.
According to the (AIHW), around 44 per cent of the population (aged 14 years and over) drink alcohol at least once per week, including six per cent who drink daily. The also shows that 18 per cent of Australians drink at levels that increase their long-term risk of alcohol-related disease or injury.
“Alcohol consumption is the norm across Australia,” says Lucas.
“In Australia, there is a risk of excessive alcohol consumption, even if you are from a higher socio-economic group.” Source: Getty Images
“We have an alcohol consuming culture, full-stop. But that doesn’t mean those people in lower socio-economic groups drink more than people in higher socio-economic groups.
“It means that the harms associated with alcohol consumption in Australia may be greater for people [who earn less] because of the other protective health factors [are lacking].”
Alcohol consumption is the norm across Australia. We have an alcohol consuming culture, full-stop.
In Australia, she explains, it’s more common that people who earn less or maintain a low socioeconomic position to be in worse health than their wealthier peers because they do not enjoy the same level of access to quality health services.
“We have a good healthcare system in Australia but we have to accept that there are still barriers to people accessing health care: geographical and cultural.
“We also know that nutrition matters in [offsetting the impact of excessive, regular alcohol consumption]. We know eating five serves of vegetables a day is a protective factor against cardiovascular disease.” But again, people in a lower socioeconomic status group may not have access to cheap, quality nutritional ingredients and that poverty is related to and poor nutrition.
Lucas adds that employment also influences a person’s drinking habits, mental and physical health. “That doesn’t mean you drink because you are unemployed. Maybe someone from a higher socioeconomic group was recently made redundant. You can also be underemployed or unemployed and be in the middle-class.
“What we need to do is acknowledge that risky drinking is something that can affect anyone from any background regardless of their culture or socioeconomic status.
“In Australia, there is a risk of excessive alcohol consumption, even if you are from a higher socio-economic group.”
