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Alcohol Abuse Holds Steady

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - You may not believe this. According to a 50-year study spanning 1948 to 2003, researchers from the Framingham Heart Study have found that people with alcohol abuse problems seem to be holding steady.

They examined more than 8,000 health records from successive generations of people who participated in the research. They found that those born more recently tend to drink less.

Over time, the average alcohol consumption among middle-aged men decreased from about 2.2 drinks a day to 1.5 drinks per day. In middle aged women, alcohol consumption decreased from 1 drink a day to 3/4 a drink a day.

There is another interesting finding related to drinking habits. The younger generation drank less hard liquor and more beer, though all generations tended to move towards wine as they got older.

Reported By Dr. Brian McDonough, KYW Newsradio Medical Editor

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