The Annals of Internal Medicine reports that overall U.S. alcohol use fell between 2022 and 2024, yet adults aged 50–64 (Gen X) show the largest increase in heavy drinking. Heavy drinking in that cohort rose from 5.6% in 2018 to 7.7% in 2024, raising concerns because alcohol-related liver disease and many cancers typically appear around age 50. Younger adults are drinking less, prompting venues to adapt by courting older, earlier crowds and expanding nonalcoholic options.
Gen X Drinking Rises While Younger Adults Cut Back, Study Finds
'I don't think it's a bad thing that [younger adults] are not drinking. I just think that for our business model and for others like us, it's really difficult to maintain that same level of operation when you don't have the income to support it.'Photograph: Stefani Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images
A new analysis in the Annals of Internal Medicine shows a shift in U.S. drinking habits: overall alcohol use fell between 2022 and 2024, but adults aged roughly 50–64 — commonly called Gen X — both drink more and show the largest increase in heavy drinking.
What the Study Found
After rising during the pandemic, the share of U.S. adults who consume any alcohol dropped slightly to 68% in 2024 (from 69% in 2022), though that remains above the pre-pandemic level of 66% in 2018. Heavy drinking — defined in the study as more than 15 drinks per week for men and more than eight for women — rose early in the pandemic (from 5.1% in 2018 to 6.1% in 2020) and then fell overall by 2024, with one important exception: adults aged 50–64. In that group, heavy drinking increased from 5.6% in 2018 to 7.7% in 2024.
Why Experts Are Concerned
Dr. Brian P. Lee, the study’s principal investigator and a hepatologist at Keck Medicine of USC, said the combination of more people drinking and more drinking heavily in the 50–64 cohort is particularly troubling. Research shows alcoholic cirrhosis most commonly begins around age 52, and many alcohol-associated cancers occur at age 50 or older — meaning current patterns could lead to rising disease burden in the near term.
"Alcohol is a poison for the body," Dr. Lee said, highlighting long-term risks tied to sustained heavy use.
Generational Shifts and Nightlife
Younger generations — especially Gen Z — are drinking less and are more likely to view alcohol as harmful rather than healthful. David Jernigan, a Boston University professor who studies alcohol policy, noted that the "health halo" around moderate drinking has diminished and that younger people appear to be internalizing those public-health messages.
These changes have economic consequences for nightlife. Venues that once relied on 20- and 30-somethings for late-night revenue are seeing declines: industry firm IWSR reported a 5% drop in U.S. alcohol consumption in 2025 compared with the previous year. Some businesses are responding by shifting programming toward older, earlier-going patrons and expanding nonalcoholic options.
How Venues Are Adapting
Examples include the Earlybirds Club, a dance night aimed at people who prefer earlier hours, and music venues booking nostalgic or Gen X–friendly acts. Venue owners report lower alcohol sales than in pre-pandemic years, prompting changes such as increased nonalcoholic beverage menus and price strategies for mocktails.
Takeaway
Overall alcohol use in the U.S. has dipped since 2022, but rising heavy drinking among adults 50–64 presents real public-health concerns. As consumption patterns shift across generations, both health systems and nightlife businesses are adjusting to new realities.
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