Conventional wisdom holds that alcohol use is part of American culture…but perhaps this is changing. According to a Gallup poll released last week, not only is alcohol use declining but there is an increasing perception that alcohol use is not good for you.
While a majority of Americans (54%) still use alcohol, drinking rates are the lowest on record since 1939.
This largely is driven by the changing perceptions of alcohol use. Not only do a majority (53%) of individuals now believe that alcohol is bad for your health, but this belief is even more strongly held among the young (66%).
Gallup provides more detail on drinking pattern trends as well.
Among Americans who do drink, consumption patterns are shifting. A record-low 24% of drinkers say they had a drink in the past 24 hours, while 40% say it has been more than a week since they last consumed alcohol, the highest percentage since 2000.
Factoring in all drinkers, including those who did not drink in the past week, the average number of drinks consumed over the past seven days is 2.8, the lowest figure Gallup has recorded since 1996. This is down from 3.8 drinks a year ago and closer to 4.0 drinks over the seven years prior to that. The highest average number since Gallup has tracked this is 5.1 drinks per week, recorded in 2003.
You can read the full article here.
