US drinking rate hits all-time low
New data shows significant shifts in US drinking habits fuelled by a growing perception that moderate alcohol consumption can be harmful.
A new Gallup poll reveals that 54% of US adults say they consume alcohol, the lowest figure in nearly 90 years. Gallup has tracked American’s drinking behaviour since 1939, and their views on the health implications of moderate drinking since 2001.
Young adults are proving less likely to drink in years past, with the rate falling from 59% in 2023 to 50% today. The shift comes as attitudes toward moderate drinking change. In January, the US surgeon general at the time, Dr Vivek Murthy, recommended a cancer warning be added to all alcohol labels.
For the first time, Gallup found that a majority of American consumers, 53%, say drinking in moderation or “one to two drinks a day” is bad for one’s health. That figure is up from 28% in 2018, 39% in 2023, and 45% a year ago.
Among those Americans who drink, consumption patterns are decreasing, with a ‘record-low’ 24% of drinkers saying they had a drink within the past 24 hours while 40% said it had been more than a week since they last consumed alcohol, the highest since 2000.
Factoring in all drinkers, the average number of drinks consumed over the last seven days was 2.8, the lowest in Gallup’s poll since 1996. This is down from 3.8 drinks per week a year ago.
The decline in drinking has been more pronounced among women who report a decrease of 11 percentage points since 2023, to 51% overall. Additionally, women are more likely than men to view moderate drinking as unhealthy, at a rate of 60% to 47%.
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