Recent analysis of the National Health Interview Survey reveals a mixed picture for American alcohol use. Overall consumption dropped about 2% and heavy drinking fell more than 8% between 2022 and 2024, bringing national levels still above pre‑pandemic figures.
Older adults see sharp increase
Among adults ages 50 to 64, however, the trend moves in the opposite direction. From 2018 to 2024, total alcohol use rose nearly 4% and heavy drinking – defined as five or more drinks per day (or 15 per week) for men and four per day (or eight per week) for women – surged more than 36%.
Younger generations cut back
Gen Z adults reduced their drinking by over 5%, and Millennials reported about a 17% decline from 2022 to 2024. The study, published Sept. 21 in Annals of Internal Medicine, is based on self‑reported data from 114,352 U.S. adults.
Gender differences
Men showed a larger overall decline in drinking (2.4% vs. 1.1% for women), yet women experienced a greater reduction in heavy drinking (9% vs. 7.7% for men). Lead author Dr. Brian P. Lee warned that women’s heavy drinking remains about 13% above 2018 levels and that women develop liver damage at lower drinking thresholds.
Expert commentary
Dr. Chris Tuell, clinical director of addiction services at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, linked the rise among older adults to factors such as loneliness, grief, chronic pain, retirement‑related loss of structure, and changing metabolism. He noted that as people age, the same amount of alcohol can have a stronger physiological impact.
Lee emphasized that no level of alcohol has been proven safe and that even modest consumption raises cancer and liver‑disease risk. He advises adults over 50 who notice increased drinking to discuss liver health with their physicians, even if they feel fine.
Study limitations
The researchers acknowledge that self‑reporting tends to underestimate true consumption and that the data cannot explain why drinking patterns shifted. Nonetheless, the two‑year decline after four years of increases suggests a “promising turn” rather than a firmly established trend.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
