More Americans See Moderate Drinking as Harmful, Gallup Finds

WASHINGTON — A growing number of Americans believe even moderate drinking is bad for their health. A new Gallup poll shows 53% now view it as harmful, the highest on record. That’s nearly double the 28% recorded in 2015.

Young adults lead this shift, but older adults are also changing their minds. Two-thirds of people aged 18 to 34 see moderate drinking as risky, compared with about four in 10 a decade ago. Among those 55 and older, the number has jumped from 20% in 2015 to about half today.

Fewer Americans Are Drinking

Alongside these changing attitudes, alcohol use has fallen to a three-decade low. Only 54% of U.S. adults say they drink alcohol — the lowest since Gallup began tracking in 1939, apart from rare dips.

Young adults now drink less than middle-aged and older adults. This marks a sharp reversal from two decades ago, when younger people reported the highest drinking rates.

Why Perceptions Changed

For years, some studies suggested moderate drinking might benefit heart health. But newer research links alcohol to cancer and other serious conditions. Health agencies worldwide have revised their guidelines, with some recommending zero alcohol for optimal health.

Earlier this year, former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called for warning labels on alcoholic drinks. Current U.S. guidelines advise men to limit themselves to two drinks a day and women to one or fewer. New recommendations from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are expected later this year.

Drinking Less, Even Among Drinkers

Even people who still drink are cutting back. About half of those concerned about health risks reported drinking in the past week, compared to seven in 10 who see no harm. Only one in four Americans who drink had alcohol in the past 24 hours — a record low.

Gallup’s Lydia Saad says older Americans may be slower to accept new health advice due to decades of shifting recommendations. Young adults, by contrast, have grown up in an era where health warnings about alcohol are more common.

The Bigger Picture

The data shows Americans are rethinking their relationship with alcohol. With health research mounting and cultural habits shifting, the decline in drinking rates may continue — and government guidelines could soon reinforce the trend.

SOURCE: AP News