By comparison, in the late 1970s and ’80s, about 70 percent of Americans said they drank alcohol. The rate hovered closer to 65 percent in the early 2000s, before dipping more sharply in recent years.
The drop coincides with a rise in the proportion of people who say that even moderate alcohol consumption is bad for your health, a belief held by more than half of Americans — also a first.
The decrease is somewhat surprising, mostly because of the uptick in drinking during the pandemic, particularly among women, says Stephen Holt, MD, an internal medicine doctor and addiction medicine specialist at Yale Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut.
Changes in Drinking Habits Suggest a Real Cultural Shift
The survey asked more than 1,000 Americans 18 and older about their drinking habits. Key findings among people who do drink:
- 24 percent say they had a drink in the past 24 hours, a record low.
- 40 percent reported that more than a week had passed since their last drink.
- The average number of drinks consumed over the past week was just under three, the lowest number recorded in nearly 30 years.
Experts say this suggests a real cultural shift — and that if drinking is truly dropping in the United States and continues on that trajectory, Americans’ health will likely improve.
“This is encouraging news, and we would hope to see reductions in all alcohol-related health issues across the board,” says Susan Stoner, PhD, a research associate at the Additions, Drug, and Alcohol Institute at the University of Washington in Seattle.
More People Say That Even Moderate Alcohol Use Is Bad for Health
The Gallup poll found that the majority of people (53 percent) see drinking in moderation, defined as one or two drinks a day, as bad for one’s health. Only 6 percent think it’s good for you, and 37 percent believe it makes no difference.
Young adults in particular hold this view: Two-thirds of adults 18 to 34 have a negative view on alcohol, compared with half of adults 35 to 54, and even less for adults 55 and older.
That’s good news, because it shows that the public health message that alcohol does have health risks is getting through to people, says Randy Brown, MD, PhD, a professor in the department of family medicine and an addiction medicine specialist at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison.
“While we used to think that moderate alcohol consumption conferred health benefits, we now know that is not the case,” says Dr. Brown. “There is no level of alcohol use that is beneficial from a physical health standpoint.”
The shift in public opinion comes as leading health groups toughen their advice.
Sidney Smith, MD, a cardiologist at the UNC School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, who worked on the guidelines, says many of his patients are on board to quit drinking once they understand alcohol’s role as a potential cause of high blood pressure.
“I strongly agree with the new recommendation on alcohol use,” he says.
Among a Minority of Adults, Heavy Drinking Is Still High — and That’s a Problem
Even though there could be health benefits in many areas if more people stop drinking, the Gallup survey doesn’t fully capture the nuance of Americans’ current drinking habits, says Brown.
“While abstinence is becoming more common, particularly among young people, heavy drinking and high-intensity drinking have been rising among those who drink, particularly among women,” he says.
- For men, consuming five or more drinks on any day, or 15 drinks or more per week
- For women, consuming four or more drinks on any day, or eight or more drinks per week
High-intensity drinking is:
- For men, 10 or more drinks in a row
- For women, 8 or more drinks in a row
“Women are at greater risk for adverse health effects at these levels of drinking,” says Brown. Over the last 20 years, we have actually seen increases in health-related alcohol effects, particularly liver disease among women.
“Chronic alcohol use is associated with different types of cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke, liver disease, digestive problems, and a weakened immune system,” says Dr. Stoner.
But the increase in abstinence among younger people may lower the percentages of Americans drinking heavily, because those drinking patterns are somewhat more common in young people, says Brown.
Do You Need to Cut Out Alcohol Altogether?
Should generally healthy people who don’t smoke or have any chronic conditions stop drinking, even in moderation?
“If I had a patient who fit that description and they were drinking in moderation, I wouldn’t necessarily tell them to quit drinking,” says Holt.
“I would make sure they were aware there is some evidence that any amount of drinking may have some associated harm. If they enjoy alcohol and they are drinking it safely, then I have no problem with them continuing to do that,” he says.
What Are People Doing Instead of Drinking Alcohol?
The rise of alcohol-free alternatives is happening in tandem with the drop in alcohol use, says Holt.
“When I was in college in the late ‘90s, the only nonalcoholic beer was O’Doul’s, full stop. Now you can find nonalcoholic stouts, IPAs, and even alcohol-free spirits like tequila or gin. The variety has really expanded in the past 10 years,” he says.
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