Heavy drinking increases among U.S. adults ages 50 to 64, according to a new study that finds the group’s rates rise more than 36% from 2018 to 2024. The reporting notes this change occurs even as overall alcohol consumption in the United States begins to decline after the pandemic period.
The outlets describe the trend as an age-specific shift: older adults increase heavy drinking while younger generations reduce alcohol use. Both sources frame the findings within a broader pattern in which total alcohol use edges downward post-pandemic, but the 50-to-64 age bracket stands out as an exception.
While the coverage emphasizes the magnitude of the increase and the contrast with other generations, both accounts rely on the same general dataset and timeframe (2018 through 2024). Neither outlet provides additional methodological detail or specific causes in the excerpts provided.
