The truth about alcohol and your health, according to data

Health is generally top of mind in the new year. And while going to the gym and eating better are all noble goals, more Americans are choosing to cut down on alcohol as part of starting fresh in January.

The shift is largely due to "Dry January," the commitment to abstain from drinking for one month, a movement the British nonprofit Alcohol Change UK started in 2013. However, its origins trace back to WWII, when the Finnish government encouraged citizens to cut down on alcohol use to save resources. The challenge has gained popularity in the United States as people, particularly Gen Z, become more health conscious.

But the trend reaches beyond a yearly monthlong tradition. A 2023 Gallup report found younger adults drink less than they did two decades ago. Instead, they're choosing nonalcoholic drinks and elixirs. Globally, Allied Market Research expects the nonalcoholic beverage market, valued at $1.3 trillion in 2023, will double by 2035.

The most recent U.S. dietary guidelines do not recommend drinking at all, but if adults choose to do so, "drinking less is better for health than drinking more." This goes against previous guidance, which said if one does drink alcohol, to do so in moderation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers two drinks or less per day for men and one drink or less per day for women to be moderate alcohol use. A standard drink contains 0.6 fluid ounces of pure alcohol, equivalent to 12 fluid ounces of beer, 5 fluid ounces of wine, or 1.5 fluid ounces of liquor.

Northwell Health partnered with Stacker to examine the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pew Research, and other sources to compile the most recent research on alcohol consumption and its effects on one's health.

Visit thestacker.com for similar lists and stories.

Fewer Americans drinking alcohol

After peaking in the early 1980s, alcohol consumption in the U.S. began declining. However, drinking rates began rising again about a decade later, coinciding with a largely erroneous 1991 "60 Minutes" report examining the "French Paradox," which insinuated drinking red wine in moderation could lower the risk of heart disease.

The report examined why French people live longer than Americans, even though they eat more fatty foods and drink red wine. The findings' basis was a theory that antioxidants in grapes' skin could help with weight loss by flushing out fat.

However, in 2024, a meta-analysis of more than 100 studies published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs uncovered major flaws in this approach. The American Heart Association now says that while red wine does include antioxidants like resveratrol, people can get those benefits by eating peanuts or berries. In short, pause before popping a cork.

In 2022, Americans drank about 2.5 gallons of alcohol, or 533 standard drinks, in a year, according to a National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism report released in 2024. It represents a 1.2% decrease from the year before and comes as more Americans consider drinking alcohol bad for health.

A Gallup poll released in 2024 found that 45% of Americans say drinking one or two alcoholic beverages per day is unhealthy, the highest level since Gallup began asking in 2001. Meanwhile, the vast majority (86%) say drinking alcohol at all is at least "somewhat" harmful.

This tracks with current guidance from the World Health Organization, which warns any alcohol consumption comes with health risks. A 2015 report in the British Journal of Cancer, which looked at over 480,000 cancer cases, found alcohol is a risk factor in several cancers, including oral cancer, liver cancer, and breast cancer, though it depends on the level and frequency.

As Gen-Z drinks less, other age groups follow suit

The most recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health found less than two-thirds of Americans drank alcohol at least once in 2022. According to Gallup, 58% report they drink alcohol, 5 percentage points lower than the historical average since 1939.

Attitudes about drinking are vastly different across generations, and young adults are less likely to drink alcohol than those who are middle-aged. Six in 10 Americans between 18 and 34 say drinking is bad for one's health, while only 4 in 10 over 35 agree. In fact, the share of young adults who drink at all reached a record low in 2024; 59% now say they drink, down from a peak of 72% in the early 2000s, according to Gallup.

The significant change in views on consumption among younger adults comes on the heels of substantial cultural shifts. Since the beginning of the wave of recreational marijuana legalization, many young adults are drinking less but consuming cannabis more. Reduced exposure to alcohol and cautionary messages about the dangers of drinking and driving from generations past may also have impacted the views of teens and 20-somethings. What's more, the rise of a vast and influential wellness industry has prompted young adults to embrace "clean living" and "sober-curious" lifestyles.

How stress impacts alcohol consumption

Drinking to relax is common, and new research confirms why stress can be a trigger to "take the edge off," especially for those with alcohol use disorder, formerly known as alcoholism. A 2024 study published in Biological Psychiatry used brain imaging technology to show how raised cortisol levels can lead to alcohol cravings and increased drinking.

The isolation and uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, brought a cascade of stressors for many Americans that correlated with a surge in alcohol consumption.

Drinking too much—even once, for anyone—can be deadly. The CDC estimates about 61,000 people die each year from binge drinking—considered four or more drinks for women and five or more for men. This segment includes deaths from drunk driving accidents, alcohol-involved drug overdoses, alcohol poisoning, and death by suicide.

Fewer than 20% of Americans binge drink, according to CDC data, and binge drinking has been on the decline for the last five years, Gallup polling shows. In 2024, only 16% of people who drink said they sometimes drink more than they should, down from a record-high 35% in 1989.

Other countries have effectively changed behaviors around excess drinking by enacting and enforcing various interventions. In Scotland, for instance, alcohol-related deaths dropped by 10% in one year after the nation implemented numerous control measures, including a ban on multibuy discounts. Across some European nations, restrictions on alcohol advertising and increasing excise taxes on alcoholic beverages have had similar effects.

Hormones can also affect the desire to drink

Men are more likely to drink than women, and when they do, they also binge drink more, CDC data shows. However, women who do drink are at higher risk of developing alcohol-related liver disease.

Scientists are now using animal studies to examine the role hormones play in alcohol cravings. Kathleen Grant at the Oregon National Primate Research Center has found when progesterone levels decline during the premenstrual cycle, heightened anxiety can make women more likely to use alcohol to destress.

Decreasing alcohol intake even slightly can have myriad health benefits, including better sleep, weight loss, and improved energy levels.

To get started, the CDC recommends people set limits and stay aware of how much they drink at once. Managing triggers, which may include stressful situations or spending time in places that encourage drinking, like bars, and finding support from friends and family can also help.

Becoming more conscious about why you drink, whether it's to unwind or ease social interactions, can pinpoint which situations might prompt excess drinking.

Story editing by Alizah Salario. Additional editing by Kelly Glass and Elisa Huang. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick.

This story originally appeared on Northwell Health and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.