Are you drinking heavily? You may be at greater risk of liver disease – CBC

Study finds rate of liver disease has more than doubled over the last 20 years

Jul 25, 2025

The rate of serious liver disease among heavy drinkers has more than doubled over the last 20 years as the demographics around who is consuming more alcohol shift, a new study suggests.

The research, published Wednesday in American medical journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, found that heavy alcohol use is up among women, older adults, lower-income individuals and people with metabolic syndromes like obesity, high blood pressure and high blood sugar.

These groups tend to already be at a higher risk for liver disease, and excessive drinking only makes that worse, doctors say.

“Liver disease is real, it’s surging, and your risk is much higher than you might think,” said Dr. Brian Lee, a study author and a transplant hepatologist who treats liver transplant patients in the U.S.

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/liver-disease-alcohol-use-study-1.7593445