Alcohol consumption in U.S. rose 14% during pandemic, RAND finds

[TexasTowelie]

Sept. 29 (UPI) -- Alcohol consumption in the United States increased by an average of 14% this spring, when most of the country was in some degree of lockdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a survey released Tuesday.

Drinking rose by 19% among adults age 30 to 59 and by 17% among women, according to the poll of 1,540 Americans published in the JAMA Network Open.

Compared to the same period in 2019, women reported a 41% increase in "days of heavy drinking," the researchers said.

"Our study shows that people drank more frequently and, for women in particular, more heavily...during the initial stages of COVID-19 compared to their own behaviors from a year earlier," study co-author Michael S. Pollard told UPI.

Read more: https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2020/09/29/Alcohol-consumption-in-US-rose-14-during-pandemic-RAND-finds/7161601385728/

[samnsara]

1. guilty as charged

[marlakay]

2. Had to refill my wine cooler

Thought I had lots of bottles till this.

[dweller]

3. just doing my part

to pass the time away

✌🏼

[BootinUp]

4. Green beer (cannabis)!

[aeromanKC]

5. So who's not drinking their share?

I'm at least 40%.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

6. I'm watching it. NT

[no_hypocrisy]

7. From my observations, that sounds about right.

I work in a grocery emporium/liquor store. Lots of wine, beer, and liquor being purchased across all demographics. Young adults to senior citizens. Some buying so many bottles that we need liquor boxes to pack them. One customer bought $400+ worth of alcohol.

[Klaralven]

9. But prior to Covid shutdown, a lot of liquor was bought in bars and restaurants.

This was based on polling data. Data on actual shipments, IRS liquor tax revenues, etc. would be more dependable. ----

For their research, Pollard and his colleagues at RAND used data from the organization's American Life Panel on the alcohol consumption of 1,540 adults ages 30 to 80 years, as measured between April 29 and June 9 of 2019.

They followed up with the same group of respondents between May 28 and June 16 of this year to document any changes that may be linked with the pandemic and related lockdowns.

In both surveys, participants were asked to report the number of days during which they consumed alcohol or engaged in "heavy drinking" -- defined as five drinks or more for men and four drinks or more for women "within a couple of hours" -- over the prior 30 days.

This spring, respondents reported that they consumed alcohol on an average of 6.22 days during the prior month, a 14% increase from the average of 5.48 days in 2019, the data showed.

On average, women reported drinking on an average of 5.36 days out of the prior month in 2020, a 17% rise from 4.58 days in 2019, the researchers said.

[ProfessorGAC]

8. Not Here

I was not a big drinker anyway. I started going to low alcohol beers a while ago, because I like beer, but don't care much for the buzz. Then when the zero beers came out a couple years ago (Heineken & Bittburger) that became my choice.
I'm the type to sip a single malt scotch of a good tequila, but that 40 minutes to go through an ounce, and a few times a year.
I haven't even done the latter during COVID. Not sure why, just didn't come up.
If not for COVID, we might have gone to a Mexican food place and I would have had a margarita. But, we didn't do that either.
My wife probably went through an extra bottle of amaretto in the last 6+ months. (She puyts it in coffee.)
While I'm not surprised at this news, I am surprised we're not part of that statistic.

[TexasTowelie]

13. Leave it to the professor to crush the curve.

My alcohol consumption has decreased over the past couple of months, but that's what happens after getting a foot amputated and no transportation to get anywhere to purchase alcohol. That may change though since I devised a way to raise and lower my wheelchair down the apartment stairs using bungee cords--and I'm playing it safe by bumping my butt along the stairs while the wheelchair is empty. Necessity is the mother of invention.

[ProfessorGAC]

17. Yikes!

How are things coming along in other health areas?
Ok, I hope.
My wife has a terribly bad problem in the lower lumbar. 4 vertebrae calcified together, crooked.
Sciatica in both legs. Down the back of one, the side of the other, so I can grasp the difficulty, I think.
I've had MS for 25 years, but I'm playing golf 200+ times a year so I can't complain.
You take care, TT!

[TexasTowelie]

18. I'm in decent shape otherwise for someone who is 55 and been insulin dependent for nearly 20 years.

6' 1" and about 150-155 pounds (I weighed about 165-170 when I was young in good health). I also got out on my bike about three times a week to go to the grocery, convenience, or liquor stores.

Blood pressure and cholesterol levels are decent.

Blood glucose is probably a tad too high, but I've had so many hypoglycemic episodes over the years (including twice while I was in the hospital) that it's probably best that it is a bit high. At least I recognize it so that I can feel the onset of hypoglycemia very early when I first get jittery. No incidents where I'm breaking a sweat.

A little bit of skin sensitivity with minor rashes, mini-blisters, and dry skin. Skin color is all over the place--I'm pale, but have some dark scars, a little bit of pinkness on my other foot because of inflammation, the one toe on that foot that looked purple has faded to almost the same color as the rest of my skin.

An occasional bout of lower back pain. New to the list is some hip joint pain since I'm in the wheelchair. I'm still having some occasional phantom pain where my foot was like feeling that I strained or pulled some muscles. I find myself reaching down to rub my foot and ankle, then remembering that my foot isn't there anymore

Attitude - good unless I'm fighting with my brother.

Sorry to hear that both your wife and yourself are having health issues.

[ProfessorGAC]

20. Don't Worry About Me

But, thanks for your thoughts on my wife.
Her bad days are essentially staying in bed 75% of the day. Other days, somewhat better.
I'm fine!

[Olafjoy]

10. I am at least 3% of that 17% women total

At book club zoom last night I was drinking straight out of the bottle. Why dirty a glass?

[Initech]

11. I've definitely spent less money at bars and breweries and more money at BevMo.

[Sympthsical]

12. Going out to drink limits consumption

Bars are pricey. One drink and a tip can be $4-8 on average. It limits how much you’re willing to drink.

1.5 liters of vodka at Trader Joe’s? $10. Less incentive to moderate or pull back.

We definitely drink more here. Mainly out of sheer boredom. There’s nowhere to go and nothing to do at night. Movies and games and television are fun. But they’re more fun when we’re two giggling idiots.

[Aristus]

14. I'm sorry.

If you went to the liquor store, and the shelves were empty, that was me.

I apologize...

[lindysalsagal]

15. Yeah but no one's drinking in bars and restaurants, so, it's probably just a shift into retail.

[tavernier]

16. I gave up smoking which I only do when I drink,

(thought it wise since Covid is a respiratory virus), and since I really craved a smoke with a drink, I found myself drinking much less. Now once a week when yard drinking (6 foot distance) with friends.

[triron]

19. Yep that's me.

[Buckeyeblue]

21. That's my house. I quit drinking in early August and increased my running and working out

I plan on having a couple of celebratory drinks on the evening of 11/3. We'll see.

[DeminPennswoods]

22. I believe I read that PA state stores are having record

sales.