Alchohol: are you in the 35% or the 61%?
Gen Z is leading a huge flip in how Americans view drinking, which will come as a surprise to Boomers and Gen X, but not to Millennials.
Led by young adults, 45% of US adults now think having one or two alcoholic drinks per day is bad for one’s health. That marks a +6 percentage point increase since 2023 and a +17 percentage point increase since 2018—and it’s the highest reading on record.
The age breakdown shows a large gap, however. By age, young adults are significantly more negative about alcohol. 65% of 18- to 34-year-olds [Gen Z and young Millennials] think drinking in moderation is bad for one’s health. In contrast, only 37% of 35- to 54-year-olds and 39% of those ages 55+ say the same thing. That’s a perception gap of over 25 percentage points, and the largest difference ever recorded by Gallup.
Read more here from demographer and generations guru Neil Howe, always accompanied by his excellent data.
