CANBERRA, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Younger Australians, led by Generation Z who was born in 1997-2012, are drinking less alcohol than previous generations, signaling a potential cultural shift with public health benefits if the trend continues, new research shows.
Analyzing over two decades of data from more than 23,000 Australians across five generational groups, the study shows Generation Z are nearly 20 times more likely to not drink alcohol than Baby Boomers who were born in 1946-1964, according to a statement released Tuesday by Australia's Flinders University, which conducted the study.
Millennials who were born in 1981-1996 are also drinking less than Baby Boomers, suggesting a broader cultural shift away from alcohol, said the study published in the journal Addiction.
However, the study found older Australians, particularly those born before 1946, continue to consume the most weekly alcohol, leaving them vulnerable to health risks.
"For decades, alcohol has been deeply embedded in social life, but that's changing," said study co-author Kirrilly Thompson, senior research fellow of Flinders' College of Medicine and Public Health. "Younger Australians are growing up in a different world, one where abstaining from alcohol is increasingly normal, and where digital socializing, rising living costs, and health awareness are reshaping how people spend their time and money."
She said that the findings challenge long-held assumptions about Australian drinking culture.
The research, which is the first in Australia to separate the effects of age from generational change, provides robust evidence that the decline in alcohol use among young people is more than just a passing trend, the statement said.
"It appears to be a sustained change in behavior that could have long-term public health benefits," said the study's lead author Gianluca Di Censo, research fellow of Flinders' College of Medicine and Public Health.
"If we can understand what's driving this decline in alcohol use among younger people, whether it's economic pressures, social norms, or policy changes, we can use that knowledge to support healthier behaviors across all age groups," Di Censo added.
The study authors suggest that policies like minimum alcohol pricing, advertising restrictions, and targeted health campaigns could support these positive drinking trends. ■
