FROM THE HILL: Fewer Americans are reporting that they drink alcohol amid a growing belief that even moderate alcohol consumption is a health risk, according to a Gallup poll released Wednesday.
A record high percentage of U.S. adults, 53%, now say moderate drinking is bad for their health, up from 28% in 2015. The uptick in doubt about alcohol’s benefits is largely driven by young adults — the age group that is most likely to believe drinking “one or two drinks a day” can cause health hazards — but older adults are also now increasingly likely to think moderate drinking carries risks.
As concerns about health impacts rise, fewer Americans are reporting that they drink. The survey finds that 54% of U.S. adults say they drink alcoholic beverages such as liquor, wine or beer. That’s lower than at any other point in the past three decades.
Why? According to the poll, people no longer believe drinking is harmless. Instead, they are concerned about the effects of drinking alcohol, and even if they are drinking it, they are drinking less, according to Gallup’s data.
Recent evidence shows alcohol consumption leads to negative health outcomes and is a leading cause of cancer.
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