FOOD AND DRINK
Americans are saying goodbye to alcohol, but what are the reasons for going on the wagon?
US citizens are still drinking and 6 in 10 Americans consume alcohol, but 40 percent of the population don’t touch the stuff
In a recent Gallup poll, 38 percent of Americans said they abstain from alcohol. That number is similar to data from 1939, but back in the 1970s and 80s, 71 percent of Americans were slamming beer, wine and/or other alcoholic beverages. What has changed and why are people making a conscious decision to go on the wagon?
The reasons why people in the US choose not to drink
There are many reasons Americans choose not to partake in drinking alcoholic beverages. From health to religion and even cost cutting, people of all walks of life have their specific reasons for being sober. According to the Gallup poll, most people who don’t drink make that decision because they just don’t like the stuff and have no interest in consuming alcohol.
| Reasons | Percent of mentions |
|---|---|
| No reason/Don’t want it/Have no desire | 24 |
| Don’t like/Don’t care for it | 16 |
| Unhealthful/Not good for body | 14 |
| Afraid of the consequences | 13 |
| Bad past experience with alcohol | 13 |
| Unable to drink due to bad health | 11 |
| Against my religious beliefs | 10 |
| My age | 4 |
| Too expensive/Costly | 3 |
| I have children | 2 |
| Wrong/Don’t believe in it/Don’t approve | 1 |
| Was not raised to drink | 1 |
As expected, many people choose not to drink for health reasons, claiming that it’s not good for the body or because of bad health. Most people who decide not to consume alcohol do so because they don’t like it or have no reason to drink. Of the more interesting reasons for avoiding alcohol are those who say they’re afraid of the consequences or have had bad past experiences with alcohol.
Nowadays beverage companies are providing non-drinkers with plenty of alternatives. Supermarkets and specialty shops offer customers non-alcoholic beers, wine with zero alcohol and a wide range of spirits and other drinks that can be mixed to look and taste like cocktails, but without the punch and without the hangover.
Quality, taste and price vary, but they are not much cheaper than the alcoholic drinks they imitate. But, for those who like to drink, but don’t like alcohol, the range of non-alcoholic products is growing each day.
Summary of the study carried out by Gallup
In the Gallup study, beer is the drink of choice for Americans, which is the most popular alcoholic beverage for 37 percent of drinkers, while 31 percent prefer liquor and 29 percent like wine the best. As far as genders are concerned, men drink more beer than women 53 percent to 22 percent, while women drink more wine: 44 percent to 15 percent of men. The information regarding preferred drinks by household income, the more money people make, the more wine they drink and less beer and liquor. Drinking also varies by state as can be imagined.