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The Independent
24-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Alcohol use has increased among women — and so have cases of liver disease
Alcohol-related liver disease has more than doubled in the U.S. over the last 20 years. The increase is tied to four groups that make up a greater share of heavy drinkers than they did two decades ago: Women, adults ages 45 and older, people living in poverty, and those with metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome refers to a number of conditions, including high blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol, that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Exactly why these groups are drinking more remains unclear. Vanderbilt University School of Medicine's Dr. Peter Martin previously told NBC News that 'it's become more and more socially acceptable for women to drink as much as men' and George Koob, director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, told The New York Times that he believed older Americans are even less 'likely' to understand the hazards of alcohol. 'Alcohol-related liver disease is the main cause of liver-related death and these results are a major wakeup call to the dangers of drinking,' researcher Dr. Brian Lee, a hepatologist and liver transplant specialist at Keck Medicine of the University of Southern California, said in a statement after the new study published Wednesday. The findings, Lee said, provide the first comprehensive look at the demographics of heavy drinking and their relation to liver disease since the 1990s. Because the average drinking rate in the U.S. was unchanged over the last 20 years - outside of the pandemic - it suggested factors such as changing health and demographics may be playing a role. The researchers analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of adults and children in the U.S. from 1999 through 2020. They tracked the total increase in significant liver disease, a point when scar tissue impairs the organ's function, often caused by heavy drinking. More than 51,600 adults died from liver disease in 2020 in the U.S. The researchers looked at the demographic and health profiles of adults, age 20 or older, who drank heavily - eight drinks per week for women and 15 for men, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Previous research had tied the four groups looked at in this study to a higher risk of liver disease when exposed to alcohol. A separate 2024 study, authored by Lee, found that heavy drinking rose at the pandemic's peak and continued for two years after that. Lee hypothesized that increase may have been due to stress. Liver disease deaths have also roughly doubled over the last 20 years, and the number of annual alcohol deaths due to cancer has doubled in the same time period. Lee believes the results will help to provide doctors with necessary updates to better treat patients and potentially result in more screenings and interventions for Americans in high-risk populations. 'Our results show that the makeup of the American public with heavy alcohol consumption has changed compared to 20 years ago,' he said.
The Independent
23-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Alcohol-related liver disease in the US has more than doubled in the last 20 years - and its down to four groups
Alcohol-related liver disease has more than doubled in the U.S. over the last 20 years. The increase is tied to four groups that make up a greater share of heavy drinkers than they did two decades ago: Women, adults ages 45 and older, people living in poverty, and those with metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome refers to a number of conditions, including high blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol, that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Exactly why these groups are drinking more remains unclear. Vanderbilt University School of Medicine's Dr. Peter Martin previously told NBC News that 'it's become more and more socially acceptable for women to drink as much as men' and George Koob, director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, told The New York Times that he believed older Americans are even less 'likely' to understand the hazards of alcohol. 'Alcohol-related liver disease is the main cause of liver-related death and these results are a major wakeup call to the dangers of drinking,' researcher Dr. Brian Lee, a hepatologist and liver transplant specialist at Keck Medicine of the University of Southern California, said in a statement after the new study published Wednesday. The findings, Lee said, provide the first comprehensive look at the demographics of heavy drinking and their relation to liver disease since the 1990s. Because the average drinking rate in the U.S. was unchanged over the last 20 years - outside of the pandemic - it suggested factors such as changing health and demographics may be playing a role. The researchers analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of adults and children in the U.S. from 1999 through 2020. They tracked the total increase in significant liver disease, a point when scar tissue impairs the organ's function, often caused by heavy drinking. More than 51,600 adults died from liver disease in 2020 in the U.S. The researchers looked at the demographic and health profiles of adults, age 20 or older, who drank heavily - eight drinks per week for women and 15 for men, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Previous research had tied the four groups looked at in this study to a higher risk of liver disease when exposed to alcohol. A separate 2024 study, authored by Lee, found that heavy drinking rose at the pandemic's peak and continued for two years after that. Lee hypothesized that increase may have been due to stress. Liver disease deaths have also roughly doubled over the last 20 years, and the number of annual alcohol deaths due to cancer has doubled in the same time period. Lee believes the results will help to provide doctors with necessary updates to better treat patients and potentially result in more screenings and interventions for Americans in high-risk populations. 'Our results show that the makeup of the American public with heavy alcohol consumption has changed compared to 20 years ago,' he said.
The Hill
08-05-2025
- Health
- The Hill
Gen Z drinking less because they're broke, Dutch study says
Experts studying why those in Generation Z are drinking significantly less than previous generations have offered up several potential factors, including health concerns and the influence of social media. A Dutch banking company offers a much simpler reason: Gen Z is broke. Rabobank last month published an analysis that explored whether Gen Z's lower consumption of alcohol is due to a life stage or a generational shift. The generation is described by Time magazine as anyone born between 1997 and 2012. Time reported in January that alcohol consumption in the U.S. has risen overall, but not among younger adults. A 2023 Gallup poll determined that the share of adults under age 35 who say they drink dropped ten percentage points in two decades, from 72 percent in 2001-2003 to 62 percent in 2021-2023. George Koob, director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, suggested that Gen Zers are more health-conscious than previous generations. 'It is becoming clear that, for whatever reasons, today's younger generations are just less interested in alcohol and are more likely than older generations to see it as risky for their health and to participate in periods of abstinence like Dry January,' Koob told Time. The magazine's report cites multiple other factors, like the increased legality of marijuana and changing socialization patterns. A 2023 Surgeon General's advisory stated that the average amount of time people spent with friends in person decreased from 30 hours a month in 2003 to 10 hours a month in 2020. Gen Z socializes more online than previous generations, and alcohol is a 'social drug,' Koob said. Experts theorize that social media, and the desire young people have to look their best online, are significant factors affecting drinking patterns. Technology, including tracking apps, also makes it much easier for underage drinkers to get caught. Rabobank's report suggests that while these factors are legitimate, the 'narratives are greatly overblown.' According to analysts, half of Gen Z is under the legal drinking age, while those 21 and older may be struggling to make ends meet. '(Those Gen Zers) have yet to get a college degree, are working an entry-level job or not working at all, and therefore don't have any money to spend on alcohol,' the report said. 'This was also true of millennials, Generation X and baby boomers when they were in their 20s.' As Gen Z gets older, their alcohol purchases are likely to grow, though the industry will need to adjust its products and its advertising to connect with the diversity of the generation and with their changing drinking patterns. 'This is an ideal outcome for the alcohol industry, which can celebrate the declines in underage drinking and binge drinking while still benefiting when Gen Zers reach their more mature and responsible prime spending years,' the report stated.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Gen Z drinking less because they're broke, Dutch study says
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways (NewsNation) — Experts studying why Gen Z is drinking significantly less than previous generations have offered up several potential factors, including health concerns and the influence of social media. A Dutch banking company offers a much simpler reason: Gen Z is broke. Rabobank last month published an analysis that explored whether Gen Z's lower consumption of alcohol is due to a life stage or a generational shift. Gen Z is described by Time magazine as anyone born between 1997 and 2012. 'The stigma has decreased': Behind Gen Z's alcohol aversion Time reported in January that alcohol consumption in the U.S. has risen overall, but not among younger adults. A 2023 Gallup poll determined that the share of adults under age 35 who say they drink dropped ten percentage points in two decades, from 72% in 2001-2003 to 62% in 2021-2023. George Koob, director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, suggested that Gen Zers are more health-conscious than previous generations. 'It is becoming clear that, for whatever reasons, today's younger generations are just less interested in alcohol and are more likely than older generations to see it as risky for their health and to participate in periods of abstinence like Dry January,' Koob told Time. The magazine's report cites multiple other factors, like the increased legality of marijuana and changing socialization patterns. A 2023 Surgeon General's advisory stated that the average amount of time people spent with friends in person decreased from 30 hours a month in 2003 to 10 hours a month in 2020. Gen Z socializes more online than previous generations, and alcohol is a 'social drug,' Koob said. 'Dry January': What an alcohol-free month does for your health Experts theorize that social media, and the desire young people have to look their best online, are significant factors affecting drinking patterns. Technology, including tracking apps, also makes it much easier for underage drinkers to get caught. Rabobank's report suggests that while these factors are legitimate, the 'narratives are greatly overblown.' According to analysts, half of Gen Z is under the legal drinking age, while those 21 and older may be struggling to make ends meet. '(Those Gen Zers) have yet to get a college degree, are working an entry-level job or not working at all, and therefore don't have any money to spend on alcohol,' the report said. 'This was also true of millennials, Generation X and baby boomers when they were in their 20s.' As Generation Z gets older, their alcohol purchases are likely to grow, though the industry will need to adjust its products and its advertising to connect with the diversity of the generation and with their changing drinking patterns. 'This is an ideal outcome for the alcohol industry, which can celebrate the declines in underage drinking and binge drinking while still benefiting when Gen Zers reach their more mature and responsible prime spending years,' the report stated. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
