Survey: Americans consumed 17 alcoholic drinks per week in 2020

DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) - Iowans each drank 829 alcoholic drinks in 2020 according to a study conducted by DrugAbuse.com. In Illinois 1050 drinks were consumed during the year. The survey of over 3,000 drinkers 21 and older found that many in the U.S. tried to cope with stress, anxiety, and isolation of the pandemic with alcohol. In Iowa, 829 drinks equates to about 16 drinks per week. The national average was 17 per week.

The Centers for Disease Control defines heavy drinking as 14 drinks per week for men and seven per week for women. A standard drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of win or 1.5 ounces of liquor.

Broken down across the country, Alaskans consumed the most 1,404 for the year with an average of 27 standard drinks per week during lockdown. Residents in Hawaii and New Hampshire had just 10 drinks per week – the lowest figure across the U.S.

A separate survey by American Addiction Centers found that 1 in 5 people unemployed due to the pandemic said they turned to alcohol as a coping mechanism during lockdown.