Health
US alcohol use drops slightly after pandemic surge, study finds
Drinking rates fell modestly across most groups but climbed among adults aged 50 to 64, NBC News reports.
The short version
- A study of CDC survey data found overall American alcohol consumption fell roughly 1% between 2022 and 2024, marking the first decline since the pandemic.[NBC News]
- Gen Z adults recorded a drop of more than 5% in drinking, while millennials saw heavy drinking decrease by 17%.[NBC News]
- In contrast, heavy drinking among adults aged 50 to 64 rose roughly 2 percentage points, bringing that demographic's heavy-drinking surge to over one-third since 2018.[NBC News]
- Despite recent overall declines, national alcohol use remains higher than pre-2020 levels.[NBC News]
Key facts
- Overall American drinking declined by roughly 1% between 2022 and 2024, though rates remained above 2018 levels.[NBC News]
- Gen Z drinking fell by over 5% and millennial heavy drinking dropped by 17% from 2022 to 2024.[NBC News]
- Heavy drinking among adults aged 50 to 64 increased by about 2 percentage points from 2022 to 2024 and by over one-third since 2018.[NBC News]
- From 2022 to 2024, men saw a 2.4% drop in overall drinking compared to 1.1% for women, though heavy drinking dropped 9% among women and 7.7% among men.[NBC News]
What remains uncertain
- It remains unknown whether the slight post-pandemic decline will continue or stabilize at levels higher than 2018.[NBC News]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.
- Drinking finally slows after pandemic spike, but not for every age groupNBC News - Top Stories