More Americans now view moderate drinking as harmful to health
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Only 54% of U.S. adults now say they drink alcohol the lowest level Gallup has ever recorded in its nearly 90-year history.
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For the first time ever, a majority (53%) believes that moderate drinking (one or two drinks a day) is bad for ones health up significantly from earlier years.
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Even among those who do drink, consumption is down: just 24% had a drink in the past 24 hours, and the average number of drinks per week is a record-low 2.8.
For the first time in Gallups nearly nine-decade tracking, only 54% of American adults say they drink alcohol.
Thats a dramatic drop from the 60%+ range that held steady from 1997 all the way up to 2023.
The decline has been sharp: 62% in 2023, then 58% in 2024, and now down to 54% in 2025. Those earlier dip levels were rare only once before in all that time making this the most sustained fall Gallup has ever seen.
What the Findings Mean for Consumers
Drinking Isnt as Popularor Frequent
Fewer people are drinking, and those who are are doing so less often. Only 24% of drinkers had a drink in the past day, and a whopping 40% had not touched alcohol in over a week. That puts the average number of drinks per week among all adults at just 2.8, the lowest since 1996.
Moderation Is Harmful Is the Majority View
Gallups poll reveals that 53% of Americans now believe moderate drinking is bad for health and this is the first time ever that more people feel this way. By contrast, just 6% think moderate drinking is good for health, while 37% say it makes no difference. This marks a dramatic shift from earlier years when many thought moderate drinking had health benefits.
Changes Across Demographics
The drop in drinking is happening broadly but its sharper in some groups. Womens self-reported drinking fell 11 points, to 51%; men dropped 5 points, to 57%. Among young adults (1834), only 50% now drink, down from 59% a couple of years ago. Republican drinkers also fell sharply (19 points, to 46%), while Democrats stayed relatively steady (61%).
Final Take for Consumers
Whether youre rethinking your own habits or just curious about bigger trends, the data show a clear cultural and personal shift. Not only are fewer people drinking, theyre doing it lessand importantly, theyre increasingly questioning whether even moderate alcohol use is worth it.
Posted: 2025-08-14 18:11:44
