Binge drinking continued to rise in 2022 after increasing during the worst of the coronavirus pandemic, according to new research published Tuesday.
the study, published The Annual Report of Internal Medicine found that heavy alcohol consumption increased by 20 percent from 2018 to 2020, followed by an additional 4 percent increase from 2020 to 2022.
The spike in alcohol use was seen across all regions, races, and genders in the United States, not just Asian Americans and Native Americans. This study used cross-sectional data from a nationwide survey of adults aged 18 and older.
“Our study suggests that these increases will continue in 2022, and that heavy alcohol consumption may have increased further in certain subgroups,” the researchers wrote. There is. “Potential causes of this sustained increase include normalization and adaptation to increased alcohol consumption due to the stress of the pandemic and disruptions in access to health services.”
According to the study, more than 69.3% of Americans will say they have consumed some alcohol in 2023, up slightly from 69.03% in 2022. In 2018, it was 66.3%. Heavy drinking increased from 5.1% in 2018 to 6.3% in 2022.
The study notes that alcohol is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in this country, and the findings “highlight an alarming public health issue that may require a combination of policy changes.” “There are.”
“The public health impact of pandemic-related increases can be reduced through systematic integration and rapid coordination with behavioral health treatment by health professionals, alongside community-based interventions for at-risk populations.” “Intensified screening efforts for harmful drinking should be considered in alcohol use,” the authors write.
A study published last year found that the average American drinks 60 percent more hard liquor than he did in the mid-1990s. The same is true for wine, with per capita consumption increasing by 50% since 1995.
