Increase in Late-Night 'Honsul' Due to COVID-19

There Is Little Change in Total Alcohol Consumption Among UK Residents... Heavy Drinkers' Consumption May Have Actually Increased

(Photo by Getty Images)

[Asia Economy Senior Reporter Jinsoo Lee] A study in the UK found that although the total alcohol consumption of residents during the lockdown imposed on March 24, 2020 (local time) due to COVID-19 hardly changed, the number of weekly drinkers who drank alone late at night at home increased.

A joint research team from the University of Glasgow in Scotland and the University of Sheffield in England analyzed data on how the drinking habits of 300,000 adults changed during the lockdown in the monthly scientific journal Addiction, published on the 2nd. The results showed that while the total alcohol consumption of residents hardly changed, the number of drinkers who drank alone late at night at home increased.

According to the research team, the time when residents of England and Scotland started drinking was found to be on average 35 minutes later than before the COVID-19 pandemic. During the lockdown, Scots generally started drinking from 6:25 p.m., and English residents from 6:04 p.m.

Dr. Ian Hardy of the Institute of Health and Wellbeing at the University of Glasgow, who led the study, said, "It is still unclear what long-term effects the changes in alcohol consumption patterns in 2020 will have," and pointed out, "The problem is that drinking at home increased in 2020."

Dr. Hardy added, "There have been some studies reporting an increase in alcohol-related harm after the pandemic," and estimated, "Drinking at home may have fueled this."

(Photo by Getty Images)

Abigail Steblick, a researcher at the School of Health at the University of Sheffield and co-author of the paper, explained about late-night drinking, "It was probably because social activities like having a drink with colleagues at a pub after work disappeared."

Researcher Steblick speculates that although the overall amount of drinking did not change during the lockdown, some weekly drinkers increased their alcohol consumption while others decreased it. There is a possibility that heavy drinkers actually increased their drinking.

He advised, "To prevent potential additional health problems in the future, it is necessary to continue monitoring drinking patterns during the pandemic."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.