Growing number of Britons turning teetotal

The UK is becoming a nation of teetotallers led by young adults living in London, new statistics have revealed.

The number of young adults abstaining from alcohol increased by more than 40% between 2005 and 2013

According to the Office of National Statistics’ Adult Drinking Habits in Great Britain published on Friday, more than one in five adults (21%) do not drink any alcohol, compared to 19% in 2005.

The number of young people aged between 16 and 24-years-old reporting they do not drink alcohol at all increased by more than 40% between 2005 and 2013.

Regionally, there were significant differences in the levels of alcohol consumption, with nearly a third of Londoners (31%) admitting they did not drink alcohol at all.

This was substantially higher than other areas of the UK, with the number of adults abstaining from alcohol in the West Midlands at 25%, in Wales 22% and Scotland 21%.

“Although it is difficult to attribute regional differences to any single factor, London is the most ethnically diverse region of the UK and has a lower than average population age of just 33,” the ONS said.

“Both of these factors may play a part in London having a higher than average number of teetotallers.

“It is known that people who start drinking at a younger age are likely to drink more frequently, and in greater quantities, in adulthood.”

Binge drinking fell by 17% across the nation between 2005 and 2013, but dropped by a third among young people.

In addition, the report revealed only one in 50 men under 25 drink almost every day, in comparison to one in 10 a decade ago.

“These results today are an encouraging sign, however there is absolutely no room for complacency,” said Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, chairman of the Alcohol Health Alliance UK. “Whilst the average level of consumption has fallen, this may be in part due to the change in the ethnic make-up of the country with many people abstaining from drinking altogether.

“Data on alcohol consumption is also unreliable; many people under-report how much they drink and self-reported data on consumption does not correlate with sales data.

“The overall numbers of alcohol-related deaths may be down but the numbers are still far higher than they were 20 years ago. Without effective action from government on pricing, marketing and availability, we are storing up major problems for the future.”