Alcohol use increased during the COVID-19 pandemic and remained elevated even after the pandemic ended, according to a large nationally representative Keck Medicine of USC study published today in the Annals of Internal Medicine . From pre-pandemic (2018) to the height of the pandemic (2020), heavy alcohol use among Americans rose by 20%, and any alcohol use rose by 4%. In 2022, the increases were sustained.

The rise in drinking was seen across all age groups, genders, race, ethnicities and regions of the country, except for Native Americans and Asian Americans. Adults ages 40-49 had the highest increase in heavy alcohol use. These numbers reflect an alarming public health issue that could result in severe health consequences for far too many people.

Our results suggest men and women under 50 are at special risk." Brian P. Lee, MD, MAS, hepatologist and liver transplant specialist with Keck Medicine of USC and principal investigator of the study Excessive alcohol use is a leading preventable cause of illness and death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Half of all liver-related deaths are caused by alcohol, and alcohol-related cirrhosis is now the leading cause of liver transplants, according to Lee. To reach their conclusions, researchers studied data from the National Health Interview Survey, one of the largest and most comprehensive health surveys in the country. The survey collected alcohol use information as well as demogra.