New research shows that U.S. alcohol use has declined for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, but drinking remains above pre-pandemic levels — with one particular group showing a sharp increase in heavy intake.
A study led by the University of Southern California/Keck Medicine found that among adults ages 50 to 64, alcohol use increased by nearly 4% from 2018 to 2024, while heavy drinking increased by more than 36%.
Across all age groups, alcohol use declined by nearly 2% and heavy drinking declined by more than 8% from 2022 to 2024.
asserted
drinking → show → 2024
However, overall alcohol use remained above pre-pandemic levels.
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use → remain → levels
Among Gen Z adults, alcohol use declined by more than 5%.
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use → decline → %
Millennials drank approximately 17% less from 2022 to 2024.
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Millennials → drink → 2024
The findings, which were published on Sept. 21 in Annals of Internal Medicine, were based on self-reported data from the National Health Interview Survey, which included 114,352 U.S. adults from 2018 to 2024.
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which → publish → 2024
Heavy drinking was defined as five or more drinks per day or 15 or more drinks per week for men within the preceding 12 months, and at least four daily drinks or eight weekly drinks for women.
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drinking → define → women
Men were found to have a larger alcohol decline than women (2.4% vs. 1.1%), but women had a larger reduction in heavy drinking (9%) compared to men (7.7%).
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women → find → men
"Women’s heavy drinking rose more than men's during the pandemic and is still about 13% above where it was in 2018," lead study author Brian P. Lee, M.D., associate professor of medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, told Fox News Digital.
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Lee → rise → Digital
"Women develop liver damage at lower levels of drinking than men, so that number carries more weight than it looks.
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it → develop → weight
"
The study was funded in part by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the National Institutes of Health.
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study → fund → Health
Study limitations
The chief limitation of the study is that people reported their own levels of drinking, which tend to run low, according to Lee.
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which → report → Lee
"It also can't tell us why drinking changed, only that it did," he told Fox News Digital.
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he → tell → Digital
"And we have two years of decline after four years of increases, so I'd describe this as a promising turn rather than an established trend."
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I → have → turn
The researchers also did not investigate the reasons younger adults reduced alcohol consumption.
"
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adults → investigate → consumption
Women develop liver damage at lower levels of drinking than men, so that number carries more weight than it looks.
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it → develop → weight
"
Potential reasons older adults are drinking more
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adults → drink → ?
Dr. Chris Tuell, clinical director of addiction services at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, said many factors may contribute to the increased rate of drinking among older adults.
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factors → say → adults
"As we approach our 50s and 60s, we start reflecting on our lives, and changes start to happen," Tuell, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
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who → approach → Digital
The loneliness epidemic in the U.S., and the fact that people are more "polarized" and "disconnected," may also come into play, according to Tuell.
uncertain
people → come → Tuell
Grief and loss may also lead to increased drinking as people seek a way to escape or cope with the loss of friends and family members.
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people → lead → friends
"One out of four people will experience some mental health issue … depression, anxiety, loss, grief — these are real things that are impacting people," Tuell said.
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Tuell → experience → people
"And it's at a time where a person might feel very vulnerable.
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person → feel → time
"
As people age, there may also be increased issues related to chronic pain and medical issues, resulting in reduced function.
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people → age → function
"Now I have these aches and pains, or maybe I'm diagnosed with something more serious," Tuell said as an example.
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Tuell → have → example
"So that becomes a problem that I now have to deal with.
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I → become → that
"
Many aging adults are also approaching retirement age, which can result in a loss of structure and change the identity they’ve had for decades, the expert noted.
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expert → age → decades
"I wake up and something I've done every day for many, many years is no longer happening.
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I → wake → years
What do I do with my time?
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I → do → time
As older adults experience body changes, they don't metabolize alcohol the same way they once did, Tuell noted.
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Tuell → experience → alcohol
"What I used to drink maybe five years ago … that same amount now can affect me differently, because I'm not metabolizing it like I used to," he said.
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he → use → it
Women are especially impacted by alcohol, Tuell said, likely because they may have less body fat and don't have as much water in their bodies.
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they → impact → bodies
Lee noted that while alcohol doesn't harm everyone equally, the risk starts at low levels and goes up with every additional drink.
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risk → note → drink
"There isn't a level the evidence shows to be safe."
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evidence → be → ?
Red flags
To determine whether someone has a problem with alcohol, Tuell recommends using the "three Cs."
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Tuell → determine → Cs
I can't manage this behavior any longer."
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I → manage → behavior
- Compulsive: "I can’t stop doing it.
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I → stop → it
I continue to do it despite the negative consequences.
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I → continue → consequences
Knowing that I could lose my job, I could lose my marriage, I could lose lots of things in my life, I do it anyway."
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I → know → it
- Can’t: "I can't stop thinking about it — it might be the first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning or the last thing I think about when I go to bed.
uncertain
I → stop → bed
"
Alcohol can still be problematic even if someone doesn’t have an addiction, Tuell noted.
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Tuell → have → addiction
…and 11 more, not listed.
The Aporia
