Heavy Episodic Drinking in Early Adulthood and Outcomes in Midlife

Abstract

Frequent heavy episodic drinking at ages 17-25 years was associated with higher rates of alcohol dependence and abuse at a 10-year follow-up and alcohol consumption 25 years following baseline but not with other study outcomes at midlife. Lack of differences in outcomes at midlife may be because of decreased heavy episodic drinking among the heaviest baseline drinkers.