A diagnosis of high-risk alcohol drinking patterns include frequency and volume of drinking, level of self-control, and alcohol abuse and dependence. The professors used the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test from the World Health Organization to detect people in the risk categories.

The conclusion was that 28.3 percent of men in the 45-64 age group showed drinking patterns requiring testing for alcohol dependence. The number was the highest among all test groups.

The rate for the 14-44 male group was 21.3 percent and 13.1 percent for those 65 and older.

For women, the rate was the highest in the 19-44 group with 6.3 percent. It fell to 3.2 percent for the 45-64 group and to 0.5 percent for the older group.

The average was 15.1 percent: 23.7 percent for men and 4.2 percent for women.

"We were able to confirm that the high-risk drinking pattern was more frequent among men, especially for the middle-aged," Hong said. "It's significant that the study provides statistical figures that not only reflect the amount of alcohol consumption but the behaviors of drinking as well." (Yonhap)