More than half of adults drinking more than they were a year ago
More than half of adults say they are currently drinking more alcohol than a year ago while about one in three say they have quit smoking since then, according to new research.
Some 53.5 per cent of people said they were drinking more now than March and April last year while 35.1 per cent said they had stopped smoking in the same time period.
Menweremorelikelytoreport an increase in alcohol consumption than women – 59.2 per cent of men as opposed to 47.3 per cent of women.
Those aged 30-59 were most likely to have increased their drinking (56.5 per cent) against 50.7 per cent of those aged 18-29 and 48 per cent of those aged over 60.
However, there have been decreases in alcohol consumption among some groups, with about two-fifths (40.1 per cent) of heavy drinkers (15+ units a week) decreasing their alcohol intake.
Roughly nine in ten (91.5 per cent) of people aged between 18 and 29 who were drinking heavily a year ago have decreased their drinking, compared to a third of those drinking heavily aged 30-59 (37.5 per cent) and 60+ (35.5 per cent).
Lead author Dr Elise Paul, UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health, said: "Our report shows that during the pandemic, alcohol consumption has increased for many.
"This could be due to a wide range of factors, including using alcohol to cope with stress and the absence of other ways in which to demarcate home and work life when working from home during the lockdown .
"The closure of non-essential shops and restriction of activities will also have had an impact, with people drinking more for lack of anything else to do, rather than due to a conscious decision to increase alcohol consumption.
"The reduction in smoking is good news, with far more people quitting than starting during lockdown.
"It remains to be seen whether
these changes in smoking and alcohol consumption will continue long-term or start to reverse as we emerge from the pandemic."
Launched in the week before lockdown started, the ongoing UCL Covid-19 Social Study is funded by the Nuffield Foundation with additional support
from Wellcome and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).