酒が中高年の女性を飲む　　　　気ままなリライト152

不健康な飲酒、女性蝕む　50代は倍増　社会進出、仕事も飲み会も - 日本経済新聞

The saying "a man lives on a quarter of what he eats; the other three quarters live on his doctor" metaphorically underscores the importance of moderation. This wisdom applies to drinking as well as eating, yet it is often ignored, especially by women over 40 who are turning to alcohol as a balm for stress. Those women are finding themselves succumbing to the tempting embrace of alcohol, while struggling to balance the tightrope between work, family roles, and societal expectations. They are feeling pressured to overextend themselves in the male-dominated corporate culture, where the push for gender equality is often taking a toll on their health.

In Japan, where the culture of social drinking is deeply ingrained, alcohol's role in stress relief and socializing has had a more negative impact on women than men. Research by a group from Kyoto University found that during the period from April to June 2020, hospitalizations due to alcohol-related liver disease and pancreatitis increased by 1.2 times for men compared with the previous year, while for women, the increase was 2.0 times.

An increase in women’s alcohol consumption has been linked to the pursuit of gender equality, particularly among women over 50. Those women have witnessed the narrowing of gender roles in the workplace following the enactment of the Equal Employment Opportunity Law in 1986. For them, alcohol-centered socializing has become crucial for career advancement and social acceptance in the corporate environment. The dual pressure to excel in their careers while fulfilling family obligations is heightening their stress, leading them to unwittingly drink excessively.

The pursuit of gender equality in alcohol consumption overlooks the physiological differences in how men and women are affected by alcohol. According to guidelines released in February by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, for the risk of developing lifestyle-related diseases, consuming daily more than 40 grams of alcohol exceeds the healthy standard for men, while for women, this threshold is more than 20 grams. Women generally metabolize alcohol more slowly than men, placing a greater burden on their bodies. As evidence, with the same amount of alcohol consumption, women are more likely to develop liver diseases such as cirrhosis and addiction. Additionally, it increases the risk of developing breast cancer, which is more common in women.

The Nippon Life Insurance Research Institute team reported that middle-aged women, unlike men or younger women, have followed their own standards for alcohol consumption that don't align with those set by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare. For women over 40-50, the ministry’s standard is seen as too restrictive to satisfy the Bacchus of Booze, as the temptation to consume more than 500 ml of beer or two small glasses of wine a day is strong. Despite the ministry's guidelines, the proportion of women consuming more than 20 grams of alcohol a day increased between 2009 and 2019, while the proportion of men consuming more than 40 grams daily decreased during the same period. Among women in their 40s and 50s, the rate of exceeding the recommended alcohol intake rose from 8.9% to 16.8%, surpassing the average of 14.9% among men who ignored the ministry’s healthy standard. By contrast, younger women are increasingly choosing alternative ways to socialize and network that do not revolve around alcohol, avoiding following in the footsteps of their predecessors.

Among women entangled in the web of alcohol dependency, homemakers and part-time workers are finding themselves especially vulnerable due to isolation, loneliness, and financial instability. Homemakers often wander through the dense forest of isolation and loneliness, while part-time workers struggle under the weight of stress and financial hardship. Unlike the sturdy vessels of full-time employees, equipped with social support and well-being programs, part-time workers' rowboats often lack such lifelines, making it harder to stay afloat amidst the storms of anxiety. Without addressing the underlying causes of their anxiety and isolation, those women are prone to seeking solace in alcohol. Financial constraints act as a barrier, blocking their access to healthier coping mechanisms, such as therapy or wellness activities, leaving alcohol a more reachable, albeit perilous, escape. Additionally, the shadows of shame and embarrassment further cloud their path, preventing them from reaching out for the help they need to find healthier ways to manage their stress and anxiety. As a result, they sink deeper into the mire of alcohol dependence, making it ever more challenging to escape their difficult circumstances.