By Blair Jackson

Copyright news

Released on Tuesday, the Flinders University study strips out socio-economic factors to look simply at who’s drinking more at the same age among Australians born between 1928 and 2012 and tracking each subject throughout their lives.

“Our research shows that over the course of their lives, Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) are nearly 20 times more likely to choose not to drink alcohol compared to Baby Boomers, even after adjusting for sociodemographic factors,” lead author Gianluca Di Censo said.

“This isn’t just a phase; it appears to be a sustained change in behaviour that could have long-term public health benefits.”

The research analysed the habits of 23,368 people using 23 datasets and categorised people as the Silent Generation (1928–1945), baby boomers (1946–1964), Generation X (1965–1980), millennials (1981–1996) and Generation Z.

Each person’s alcohol abstention, typical consumption per session and weekly intake was quantified.

“Younger Australians are growing up in a different world – one where abstaining from alcohol is increasingly normal and where digital socialising, rising living costs, and health awareness are reshaping how people spend their time and money,” co-author Kirrilly Thompson said.

While those factors are pushing younger people to drink less, the researchers indicate going dry may be difficult for other generations to mimic.

“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 behaviours across all age groups,” Dr Di Censo said.

The study also points to events such as world wars, the global financial crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic striking during early adulthood as playing a significant shaping role in drinking habits.

Although abstaining from drinking is generally lowest in early adulthood across the generations, Gen Z are more likely to stay sober than previous generations.

Millennials and Gen X are drinking more per session than boomers, the study finds, but their weekly consumption is lower, which indicates binge drinking is more common.

And it is the Silent Generation – born between world wars – who are drinking the most per week.

While a boozy league table makes good generational debate, the study points out alcohol is a component cause in more than 200 health conditions and diseases as well as seven types of cancers.

The National Health and Medical Research Council’s alcohol guidelines recommend people should not drink more than 10 standard drinks a week or four standards on any single day.

“For decades, alcohol has been deeply embedded in social life, but that’s changing,” Dr Thompson said.

“Younger Australians are growing up in a different world – one where abstaining from alcohol is increasingly normal and where digital socialising, rising living costs, and health awareness are reshaping how people spend their time and money.”

The authors say few longitudinal studies of this nature have been in Australia.