Alcohol consumption increases in the United States during the pandemic | The NY Journal

In addition to 207,000 deaths and 7.2 million infected, the coronavirus pandemic will have other consequences that science has already begun to anticipate. New research revealed that Alcohol use in the United States has increased during the pandemic, especially among people over 30.

The study, published in the JAMA Network Open, showed that the overall frequency of alcohol use increased by 14 percent since 2019, that is, a monthly average of an additional day of drinking alcohol in 75 percent of adults in the US.

The researchers analyzed the consumption habits of 2,615 people 30 to 80 years of age between April 29 and June 9, 2019 and compared them with their habits between May 28 and June 16, 2020.

Among the changes reported by the participants are an increase in the days of the week they drink alcohol, in the amounts, in the days in which they drink excessivelyor and from alcohol-related problems in the past month.

In general, 19 percent of 30-59 year olds have consumed alcohol more frequently in 2020, and one of the most affected groups are women: their excessive consumption increased by 41 percent, as well as their problems related to drinking (39 percent).

The researchers suggest monitoring alcohol consumption during the pandemic and its consequences for the physical and mental health of Americans. “In addition to a variety of negative associations for physical health, binge drinking can lead to or worsen existing mental health problems, such as anxiety or depression, which may be increasing during COVID-19, ″ they write.

For its part, the World Health Organization warned during the first months of the pandemic that alcohol consumption can weaken health and lead to more risky behaviors, mental health problems and violence.

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