Adults aged 45 and over are more than three times as likely to drink alcohol almost every day than those under 45.
Campaigners believe that is a sign that the middle aged are ignoring the serious health risks associated with excessive drinking.
The age disparity is most pronounced among women. Those aged 65 and over are 12 times more likely than those aged between 16 and 24 to drink on a near-daily basis.
The 2010 General Lifestyle Survey, which was completed by more than 13,000 people across Britain, covers topics including drinking, smoking and general health.
Its findings also showed that people aged between 45 and 64 typically consume more alcohol per week than any other age group.
The age problem is reversed for binge drinking, with younger people far more likely than their older counterparts to consume large amounts of alcohol in one go.
Sixteen per cent of men aged 16 to 24 reported consuming more than 12 units on at least one day, while this figure was just 2% among those aged over 65.
Again the disparity is more pronounced among women. Only 1% of over-65s drank more than nine units in one day, compared with 12% for the 16-24 group.
The Department of Health recommends that men should not regularly drink more than three or four units a day, with women advised to stick to two to three units.
Variances between socio-economic groups are also apparent, with those in managerial and professional roles tending to drink more than those in intermediate or routine employment.
This trend is particularly clear among women, where two-thirds in managerial or professional positions drink alcohol in a typical week, compared to 44% in routine and manual jobs.
Eric Appleby, the chief executive of Alcohol Concern, said this was "the hidden truth about alcohol and Middle England".
"Many over-45s drink daily, and those from professional or managerial households drink more, especially women", he added.
"Whilst drinking is decreasing amongst younger age groups, the middle-aged middle classes are taking unnoticed risks with their health, increasing their likelihood of suffering illnesses such as liver disease, stroke and cancer."
His concerns were echoed by Chris Sorek, the chief executive of Drinkaware, who drew attention to the health risks older people are imposing upon themselves by drinking regularly.
"Despite frequent images in the news of young adults sprawled on pavements after a night out on the town, today's research confirms Drinkaware's evidence that 25 to 44-year-old working professionals are drinking more heavily and more regularly than young adults", he said.
"Although it can be easy to find excuses to drink after a long day, many people are unaware that they are putting themselves at risk by drinking more than they think.
"Regularly going over the unit guidelines has serious implications for your health, from disturbed sleep and weight gain to cancer, heart and liver disease, which has no warning signs."