US Alcohol Consumption Remains at Record Low as Health Concerns Grow

Alcohol consumption in the United States remains at a record low, with only 54% of adults saying they drink, according to a new Gallup poll.

The figure, based on a survey conducted in July, is unchanged from last year and represents the lowest level recorded since Gallup began asking Americans about alcohol use in 1939.

Gallup’s director of US social research, Lydia Saad, said the latest result suggests the decline seen last year was not a temporary change. She said alcohol use had fallen across all age groups.

Growing awareness of the health risks linked to drinking may be one reason for the change. More than half of Americans surveyed now consider alcohol harmful to health, compared with fewer than 30% who held that view about a decade ago.

The poll also found that 86% of respondents had heard about recent research into the long-term health effects of alcohol, up seven percentage points from 2024. Alcohol consumption has been associated with several types of cancer and increased risks of liver and heart disease.

Researchers caution, however, that the Gallup figures do not provide a complete picture of drinking habits in the US. Alcohol remains a major cause of preventable deaths, with about 178,000 deaths attributed to it each year.

Thomas Babor, professor emeritus at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, said some lighter drinkers may be reducing their consumption because they are increasingly aware of health risks. He warned that harmful drinking remains a serious problem among certain groups, including college students and older adults.

Data from the 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health also showed that risky drinking remains widespread. Among teenagers and adults who drank alcohol, 44% reported binge drinking during the previous month. Around 10%, equivalent to about 14.5 million people, reported heavy drinking, defined as binge drinking on at least five days during the previous 30 days.

The survey showed that binge and heavy drinking rates have declined overall since 2021, although levels among underage drinkers remained largely unchanged. About 10% of people aged 65 and older reported binge drinking in 2025, compared with roughly 12% in 2021.

Gallup also found that only 13% of Americans said they sometimes drink more alcohol than they believe they should, another record low.

Experts say several factors could be contributing to the decline. Traci Toomey, a University of Minnesota public health policy expert, said health concerns could be important, while changes in cannabis use, alcohol prices and policies aimed at reducing harmful drinking may also play a role.

Some researchers are also examining whether GLP-1 medications, which may reduce alcohol cravings, are affecting consumption.

Gallup found that alcohol use had fallen significantly among Republicans and independents, while consumption among Democrats had changed little since 2023.

Despite the decline, experts stress that alcohol-related health risks remain significant and that lower overall consumption does not mean harmful drinking has disappeared.