More adults in England are avoiding alcohol—what’s behind the trend?

Back to news list

Source: BMJ

Original: http://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj.s207.short?rss=1...

Published: 2026-02-03T02:06:10-08:00

The latest figures from the 2024 Health Survey for England show that 24% of adults identify as non-drinkers. This is a significant increase compared to the years 2011-2022, when this share was approximately 19%. The main factor is the avoidance of alcohol among Generation Z, where almost 32% of people aged 16-24, including 36% of men, identified themselves as non-drinkers. On the contrary, for people aged 55-64, this share is only 15%, with 17% of women and 14% of men. The survey included 10,000 adults. The abstinence trend covers the whole year, not just campaigns like Dry January. Income is also mentioned as a factor.