Heavy Drinking Jumps 36% Among Adults 50 to 64 as Overall Alcohol Use Declines A new study finds alcohol use fell across most age groups from 2022 to 2024, but heavy drinking surged more than 36% among adults ages 50 to 64, with women's heavy drinking still about 13% above 2018 levels. Alcohol use in the United States has declined for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, but drinking remains above pre-pandemic levels, and one age group is bucking the trend with a sharp rise in heavy intake. Alcohol Use Declines but Older Adults Drink MoreA study led by the University of Southern California and 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. Even so, overall alcohol use remained above what it was before the pandemic began.Among Gen Z adults, alcohol use declined by more than 5%. Millennials drank approximately 17% less from 2022 to 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. The findings were published on Sept. 21 in Annals of Internal Medicine.They were based on self-reported data from the National Health Interview Survey, which included 114,352 U.S. adults from 2018 to 2024. Men were found to have a larger alcohol decline than women, 2.4% versus 1.1%, but women had a larger reduction in heavy drinking, 9%, compared to men at 7.7%.Women's heavy drinking rose more than men's during the pandemic and is still about 13% above where it was in 2018, according to lead study author Brian P. Lee, M.D., associate professor of medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. Women develop liver damage at lower levels of drinking than men, Lee told Fox News Digital, so that number carries more weight than it looks.The study was funded in part by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the National Institutes of Health. The chief limitation of the study is that people reported their own levels of drinking, which tend to run low, according to Lee. It also cannot tell us why drinking changed, only that it did, he said. Lee described the two years of decline after four years of increases as a promising turn rather than an established trend.Why Older Adults May Be Drinking MoreDr. 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. 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.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. Mental health issues including depression, anxiety, loss, and grief are real things that are impacting people, Tuell said, and it is a time when a person might feel very vulnerable. 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.As people age, there may also be increased issues related to chronic pain and medical problems, resulting in reduced function. Tuell gave the example of developing aches and pains or being diagnosed with something more serious, which becomes a problem a person now has to deal with. Many aging adults are also approaching retirement age, which can result in a loss of structure and change the identity they have had for decades, the expert noted.Retirement and Health Challenges Fuel DrinkingI wake up and something I have done every day for many, many years is no longer happening, Tuell said. So I am more bored. What do I do with my time? This is unfortunately a perfect storm.Tuell also noted that tolerance changes with age. What a person used to drink maybe five years ago, that same amount now can affect them differently, because the body is not metabolizing it like it used to, he said. Women are especially impacted by alcohol, Tuell said, likely because they may have less body fat and do not have as much water in their bodies.Doctors Recommend Liver Checks for Older DrinkersFor those who are over 50 and drinking more than they did before 2020, the lead researcher recommends asking a doctor about liver health, even if nothing feels wrong. Lee noted that while alcohol does not harm everyone equally, the risk starts at low levels and goes up with every additional drink.