Aussies have traditionally been known to love their alcohol, but drinking trends are shifting, particularly among young people.
Body + Soul’s recent Health of the Nation report surveyed more than 3,000 Australians of all ages about health and fitness habits – including alcohol consumption.
It found that more than one in three Aussies are drinking less than they used to, and a further 34 per cent reported trying to reduce their consumption.
Previous studies have further shown that the younger demographic is leading the way in this changing trend.
In 2022 – 2023, studies conducted by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare showed that 20 per cent of people aged 18-24 drank alcohol less often than monthly, and 16.3 per cent had never had a full glass of alcohol.
Comparing this to 2001, when only 13.6 per cent of young people drank less often than monthly and 7.5 per cent had never had a full glass, it seems young Australians are consuming less alcohol nowadays than they did 20 years ago.
Changing culture
Young people in Australia represent one of the priority groups in the National Drug Strategy 2017 – 2026.
Jodie Matar is a psychologist and research fellow at Monash Addiction Research Centre who has extensive experience working with young people and substance use.
She says drinking culture is changing.
“This is mainly due to their exposure to behaviours linked with alcohol as well as other drug-related issues.”
Ms Matar says there is growing awareness of the benefits of drinking less for health and wider societal wellbeing.
“And parents are becoming more aware of the need to reduce the supply of alcohol to young people in addition to monitoring for young people under 18.
“Research has shown this can reduce drinking in early adulthood.”
Ms Matar says that although there is a decrease in young Australians consuming alcohol overall, we should still be aware that there is an increase in young Australian females binge drinking.
The 2022 – 2023 National Drug Strategy Household Survey revealed that there is a relative increase in risky drinking behaviour among young females.
Ms Matar says this could be due to “gendered societal norms, both around drinking culture and wider social roles.”
Although this is a cause for concern, overall alcohol consumption in young people has decreased, which Ms Matar puts down to a significant cultural change.
“[There has been a] denormalisation of drinking and a normalisation of non-drinking,” she says.
“More to life”
For 21-year-old Zac Butterworth, his reason for cutting back on alcohol is simple.
“There’s just a lot more to life than getting on the drink every weekend.”
As a WAFL umpire, Mr Butterworth says that he’s noticed a difference both physically and mentally since curbing the alcohol.
“I found that since I’ve stopped [binge] drinking, my mental clarity is just so much better.
“I’m much calmer and a lot better of a person because of me putting down the drink and just trying to chase genuine happiness, genuine connections with some really good people.”
But it hasn’t always been this way Mr Butterworth says.
“I used to get on the drink frequently when I was a fresh 18-year-old coming out of a relationship and discovering the freedoms of alcohol.”
“[But] then I started getting a bit more involved in community and surrounding myself with a lot of sober-minded people and people that like to chase genuine discomfort and genuine dopamine and genuine happiness.
“I just decided to just put the drink down for a bit, do a dry July stint, and then the rest is history.”
Cost is a factor
The rising cost of alcohol has also made it harder for young people to justify amid escalating overall cost-of-living.
“It’s not even funny how expensive it is now,” says Mr Butterworth.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, a six-pack of beer in 1973 would set you back around $1.40 ($15.75 adjusted for inflation) compared to the whopping $23.50 that it costs today.
“And that has to be one of the main contributors as to why most young people are avoiding drinking nowadays, because they want that genuine connection.
“They want genuine community… and everything is so expensive now that the drink is no longer required to have a good time.”
Mr Butterworth says he still enjoys the occasional drink, but to a significantly less degree.
“I don’t have any intentions on binge drinking […] purely because all the negative aspects outweigh the positive aspects.”
