Binge drinking increases as people spend more time at home due to Covid-19 lockdown

Life stresses triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic and the associated lockdowns has led to increase in hazardous drinking among adults, suggests a new study.

By: Longjam Dineshwori | | Updated: December 8, 2020 9:01 am

Binge drinking can contribute to chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, and liver disease. @shutterstock

The COVID-19 pandemic, which started a year back around this time in China’s Wuhan city, led to the imposition of lockdown across the globe. In India, businesses, institutions, offices, and markets were shut to curb the spread of the disease, forcing people to stay at home for months. Though there has been some relaxation, lockdown continues in many parts of the country, more strictly in areas identified as hotspots. Changes in the daily routine and habits of people due to the lockdown have resulted in the rise of a host of mental and physical health problems. Several reports have indicated increase in stress, anxiety, and depression among people during the pandemic. Lockdown is also making some people indulge in binge drinking, suggests a new study. Also Read - Covid-19 pandemic making people with anxiety and depression to drink more

The study, published in the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, found that harmful drinking among adults increases the longer they remain at home during the lockdown. Also Read - Vegetarians are at lesser risk of getting infected by Covid-19 virus: Study

It is claimed to be the first study to highlight the relationship between hazardous drinking and life stresses triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic and the associated lockdowns. Also Read - Vaccine platform that may help prevent future coronavirus pandemics developed

“Increased time spent at home is a life stressor that impacts drinking and the Covid-19 pandemic may have exacerbated this stress,” said study author Sitara Weerakoon from the University of Texas in the US.

32% of study participants reported binge drinking

Carried out by experts at the University of Texas Health Science Center School of Public Health, in Dallas, the research is based on an online survey of nearly 2,000 over-18s in the US. The survey was conducted from mid-March to mid-April. The first US state-wide stay-at-home order was announced on March 19.

On average, the respondents had been in lockdown for four weeks, and spent 21 hours a day at home, with the majority (72%) not leaving for work.

Nearly a third (32%) of participants reported binge drinking – which is defined as consuming five or more drinks within two hours for men and four and above for women — during the pandemic. While binge drinkers reported increase in their alcohol intake, non-binge drinkers consumed about the same amount of alcohol than before lockdown.

According to their survey data, the odds of heavy alcohol consumption among binge drinkers rose an extra 19 per cent for every week of lockdown. The odds of increased alcohol intake overall for binge drinkers was more than double that of people who did not drink excessively (60 per cent vs 28 per cent), especially those with depression or a history of the disease.

Some participants drank at harmful levels during the pandemic, consuming seven drinks on one occasion.

Living with children during the lockdown reduced the odds of turning to the bottle by 26 per cent, the researchers said.

The researchers stressed the need for new intervention and prevention strategies for people in isolation who are at risk of hazardous drinking. Otherwise, there could be long-lasting health consequences, they stated.

Health risks associated with binge drinking

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, binge drinking is associated with many health problems including:

Chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, and liver disease.
Cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, oesophagus, liver, and colon.
Memory and learning problems.
Alcohol use disorders.
Unintentional injuries such as car crashes, falls, burns, and alcohol poisoning.
Sexually transmitted diseases.

Binge drinking can also lead to violence including homicide, suicide, intimate partner violence, and sexual assault.

Published : December 7, 2020 7:33 pm | Updated:December 8, 2020 9:01 am

Read Disclaimer