Alcohol Consumption on the Heaviest Drinking Occasion and Hangovers during the First Dutch COVID-19 Lockdown

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare alcohol consumption between the heaviest drinking occasion in the period before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown (15 January–14 March 2020) and the first COVID-19 lockdown period (15 March–11 May 2020) in the Netherlands, including the presence and severity of associated hangovers. The analysis included a sub-sample from the “Corona Lockdown: how fit are you?” (CLOFIT) study, comprising N = 761 participants who reported consuming alcohol in 2020. Overall, on the heaviest drinking occasion during the first COVID-19 lockdown period a significant reduction in number of alcoholic drinks consumed on the heaviest drinking occasion, drinking duration, and estimated BAC was observed. A significant reduction was also observed for subjective intoxication and next-day hangover severity. During the lockdown period, a significant reduction in the frequency of alcohol hangovers was reported. Several age and sex differences were observed. Specifically, men consumed significantly more alcohol than women and experienced hangovers significantly more frequently, both before and during the lockdown. With regard to age, young adults (18–35 years old) significantly reduced their alcohol intake on the heaviest drinking occasion during the lockdown and also reported lower ratings of subjective intoxication and hangover severity. No significant changes were seen for individuals above 35 years old. In conclusion, the first COVID-19 lockdown in the Netherlands was associated with reduced alcohol intake on the heaviest drinking occasion and a reduction in the severity of hangovers, particularly among young male adults.

The impact of COVID-19 on alcohol sales and consumption in the United States: A retrospective, observational analysis

“…That said, this increase in alcohol sales also did not translate to an increase in binge drinking, with no statistically significant change in the days per month of binge drinking or the maximum drinks per day. Previous literature on changes in binge drinking with the pandemic yielded mixed results, with studies reporting lower frequencies of binge drinking in a first-year college student cohort, and two separate cohorts in Japan and the Netherlands after the start of the pandemic ( Bonar et al., 2021 , Merlo et al., 2022 ; Stickley, Shirama, Inagawa, & Sumiyoshi, 2022 ). Conversely, hazardous drinking was elevated in Hubei at the epicenter of the pandemic in March 2020 relative to less affected areas of China at that time ( Ahmed et al., 2020 ).…”

Pandemic Preparedness: Maintaining Adequate Immune Fitness by Attaining a Normal, Healthy Body Weight

“…Individuals can influence lifestyle factors to improve their immune fitness and thus their pandemic preparedness. For example, research has shown a significant correlation between alcohol consumption and perceived immune fitness [ 53 , 54 , 55 ]. In the same subjects, a significant correlation was also observed between perceived immune fitness and the presence and severity of COVID-19 symptoms [ 53 , 54 , 55 ].…”

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Proceedings of the First Irish Alcohol Hangover Research Seminar

“…A third analysis examined alcohol consumption and hangovers on the heaviest drinking occasion before and during the first COVID-19 lockdown [24]. For young adults (18 to Proceedings 2022, 80, 5 5 of 7 35 years old), but not the older age groups, there was a significant reduction in the number of alcoholic drinks consumed on the heaviest drinking occasion during lockdown, as compared to before the lockdown.…”