Longitudinal Changes in Alcohol Use Across 20 Years

Sample size: 1429 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Sara Miller, David Almeida

Primary Institution: The Pennsylvania State University

Drinking trajectories may vary across alcohol use indicators and person-level characteristics.

Alcohol use quantity declined over time, while frequency of drinking and likelihood of abstention remained stable.

Older age was associated with drinking more frequently and consuming fewer drinks per occasion.
Graduate education was linked with increasing drinking frequency.
Male sex and poorer physical health were associated with stronger declines in drinking quantity.

As people get older, they tend to drink less overall, but how often they drink can stay the same.

The study utilized three bursts of daily diary surveys to examine changes in alcohol consumption over 20 years.

The study may not account for all individual differences in drinking behaviors.

Adults aged 24 to 81, with a mean age of 49.9.

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