Shocking new figures show just how many Gen Zers aren't drinking
Ella Scott
Featured Image Credit: Nick David/Getty Images
Drinking alcohol is falling out of fashion among one of the youngest generations, according to new statistics.
Teetotalism, the practice of abstaining from alcohol, is observed by thousands across the globe for a myriad of personal, health, and social reasons.
Many people choose to go without because it doesn’t fit in with their fitness regime, while others adhere to faiths that prohibit it or prioritise living without the mind-altering substance.
Some are wary of drinking alcohol due to the serious harm it may cause, with various studies suggesting it can cause cancer, chronic liver diseases, and serious cardiovascular issues, such as strokes and high blood pressure.
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The World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that there’s no ‘safe level’ of booze that you can consume, while US dietary guidelines advise you just ‘limit’ your intake, rather than drink to a certain recommended amount.
Over in Britain, the NHS instruct women and men to guzzle no more than 14 units a week on a regular basis.
However, new statistics point to the idea that Gen Z are drinking far below the daily recommended amount.
The health survey for England has revealed that almost a third of Gen Z women (31 percent) who were born between 1997 and 2012, and 39 percent of young men had gone teetotal.
In total, it was confirmed that 35 percent of people aged between 16 to 24 hadn’t had a drop of alcohol in the last 12 months. That is a nine percent rise on statistics published in 2022.
On the topic of Gen Z’s presumed abstinence, George F. Koob, director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) told Time earlier this month: “It is becoming clear that, for whatever reasons, today’s younger generations are just less interested in alcohol and are more likely than older generations to see it as risky for their health and to participate in periods of abstinence like Dry January.”
He also mused that perhaps a decline in drinking was due to young people socialising less in person.
“Alcohol tends to be a social drug, even for young people, so part of the decline in underage drinking could be related to less in-person socialising.”
A 2025 study found that people aged 19 to 29 are the loneliest age group, perceiving themselves to be more disconnected in their interactions and relationships, as per Together Co.
And while a portion of Gen Z has decided on removing alcohol from their lives, both men and women aged 55 to 64 AKA baby boomers have not.
According to the government-backed health survey for England, this generation is most likely to consume drinks, despite health risks.
Jem Roberts, head of external affairs at the Institute of Alcohol Studies, said that it was ‘encouraging’ that fewer people were drinking at higher risk levels.
However, she claimed that this should not ‘distract from the scale of alcohol harm in England’, referring to statistics that suggest five percent of men and three percent of women gulp down what is classed as ‘higher-risk levels of drinking’.
“Millions of people are still drinking at levels that significantly increase their risk of serious harm, from alcohol-related cancers to life-changing injuries and long-term illness, and we have seen record high alcohol deaths in recent years.”
She added: “The most effective way to reduce the record number of alcohol deaths we are seeing is through population-level measures such as minimum unit pricing, clear health warnings on alcohol labels, restrictions on alcohol availability, and comprehensive bans on alcohol marketing – which we know drives drinking among children and young people.”
If cutting down on your booze consumption is your prerogative, then the NHS has some handy tips which you may employ.
These include: setting a budget and only spending that amount on alcohol per week, selecting smaller glasses of liquor, and choosing low ABV products.
Quitting alcohol may lead to improved sleep, a better mood, and help your body to fight infections better.