Gallup’s recent report showing alcohol consumption at an 86-year low in the US has prompted a raft of reactions from within the country’s alcohol industry, with some warning against overstating short-term shifts and others highlighting scientific evidence on moderate drinking.
The CEO of the Brewers Association in the country, Bart Watson, described the 54% adult drinking rate as part of a longer-term pattern: “Gallup’s survey is small (~1,000 people) and bounces around,” he said in a LinkedIn post following the release of the report last week. “The trends are worth watching, but the year-over-year variation needs to be taken with a huge grain of salt.”
Watson noted the contrast between Gallup’s framing of a seven-percentage-point increase in 2022 as a “slight uptick” and this year’s four-point decline being emphasised as significant. He added that the survey excludes underage drinkers, whose consumption has dropped markedly in recent decades and may influence the wider trend.
Meanwhile, the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (Discus) pointed to what it said is the consistent message from research regarding moderate drinking. “The scientific consensus on moderate alcohol consumption has not materially changed, even if perceptions have,” said the organisation’s senior VP of science & research, Dr. Amanda Berger.
She cited a recent National Academy of Sciences consensus study showing moderate drinking is linked with lower all-cause mortality and reduced cardiovascular risk, but also with higher breast cancer risk. “For millions of American adults, responsible alcohol consumption is an enjoyable way of enhancing meals and bringing people together,” Berger said.
Both Watson and Berger stressed that Gallup’s latest figures reflect shifting attitudes but should be viewed in the context of long-term data and established science.
In June, a media report claimed that the US Government was planning to update the recommended daily alcohol consumption limits in a revision of its dietary guidelines.
