Why Aussies under 30 aren’t drinking alcohol

Source: http://www.drinksbulletin.com.au/

by: Alana House

October 31, 2018

New research from La Trobe University has revealed the reasons why Australians under 30 are choosing to drink less or no alcohol.

Published in Alcohol and Alcoholism, the study found young adults aged between 24 and 29 were generational leaders in reducing alcohol intake, citing lifestyle reasons such as work, education and family as their main influencers for change.

Researchers analysed 12 years of data from the National Drug Strategy Household Survey, which included almost 120,000 participants. The data was collected in four stages, looking at the drinking habits of Australians in the previous 12 months.

The 14 to 17-year-old group was most likely to have recently quit drinking (13%); 24 to 29-year-olds were most likely to have recently reduced drinking (49%).

Those aged 18-23 said their reason for stopping drinking was because they didn’t like the taste and cost.

Adults under 30 were most likely to reduce their drinking to improve their lifestyle, because they believe in moderation, to get more enjoyment from social situations and avoid violence.

For those aged over 30, health was the leading reason for curbing their consumption, while avoiding drink-driving was also a big motivation.

Lead researcher Dr Amy Pennay, from La Trobe’s Centre for Alcohol Policy Research, said the findings confirm the cultural status of alcohol in Australia is shifting.

“The research shows all age groups and —es in Australia are reducing or quitting drinking, even older, more established drinkers,” she noted.

“Most surprisingly, we found that intoxication is not as acceptable as it once was, with more than a third of 14 to 30-year-olds who had quit drinking doing so because they dislike the impact alcohol has on their social experiences.

“They believe in moderation, they are concerned about violence and they want to avoid drunkenness or genuinely dislike how getting drunk makes them feel.”