Drinking booze is more dangerous if you're poor, apparently

January 6, 2018 1:51 AM

Norwegian researchers recently found that alcohol affects socioeconomic classes differently.

Its no surprise that alcohol affects people differently—think of that friend who falls asleep after two beers compared to the one who can stay out until the early hours of the morning and be totally fine.

But according to a new study, whether you're rich or poor also has something to do with what happens to your body when you drink.

This Norwegian study, published in PLOS Medicine, found that "socioeconomically disadvantaged groups tend to experience more harm from the same level of exposure to alcohol as advantaged groups."

We know what you're thinking: How does that work?

Eirik Degerud, Ph.D., of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, and his research team gathered data from multiple Norwegian health surveys of more than 200,000 people and found that those in a lower socioeconomic class were on average older and had more risk factors for heart disease. Those with more money, despite drinking more often, didn't have these same risk factors.

According to Inverse, the researchers believe that people who are richer "were more likely to drink with a meal," which "could help the body metabolize the alcohol more easily, which would decrease the risk for disease."

And while the study was done in Norway, its authors told Inverse that the results would be similar in other countries as well, especially "countries where the socioeconomic differences are larger."

While alcohol in moderation—two drinks per day for men—can help reduce your risk of diseases like heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, it's important to note that overdoing it can lead to certain types of cancers, and mess with your brain, skin, heart, muscles, and even your penis.

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