Rethinking America’s Relationship with Alcohol: A Shift Towards Sobriety
A growing number of Americans are reassessing their relationship with alcohol, driven by increasing concerns about its impact on their health. According to a recent Gallup survey, only 54% of adults in the United States report consuming alcoholic beverages, the lowest figure recorded in the past three decades. This trend is even more pronounced when it comes to moderate drinking, with a record 53% of American adults now believing that it is detrimental to their health.
The shift in attitude is being led by younger adults, with about two-thirds of 18 to 34-year-olds convinced that moderate drinking carries health risks. However, it’s not just younger people who are reevaluating their drinking habits; older adults are also increasingly adopting this mindset. “This shift is being driven by younger adults, who are most likely to believe that drinking in moderation carries health risks. But over the past few years, we’ve also seen an uptick in older adults who hold this belief,” said Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux, the polling editor at the Associated Press.
The notion that moderate drinking may have health benefits has been largely debunked by recent studies. Several countries have revised their guidelines on alcohol consumption, and earlier this year, outgoing US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy proposed adding warning labels to alcoholic beverages highlighting the link between drinking and cancer. As Thomson-DeVeaux notes, “Now healthcare professionals are pointing to the overwhelming evidence showing links between alcohol consumption and negative health outcomes. And increasingly, Americans seem to be taking that advice to heart.”
Even among Americans who continue to drink, their habits are changing. A record-low 24% of drinkers report having consumed alcohol in the past 24 hours, according to Gallup. Conversely, 40% of drinkers say it has been more than a week since they last consumed alcohol, the highest percentage since 2000. This trend suggests a broader shift towards more mindful and moderate drinking habits.
As the US federal government prepares to release new dietary guidelines later this year, including recommendations on alcohol consumption, Americans are reevaluating their relationship with booze. With the overwhelming evidence pointing to the risks associated with drinking, it’s likely that this trend towards sobriety will only continue to grow.
