Decreasing prevalence of social drinkers in Australia

- The proportion of people who considered themselves to be a social drinker decreased from 28% to 22%.
- There was an increase in the proportion of those described themselves as a non-drinker; 19% to 27%.
- The drinking habits of those who self-identify as each drinker type have not changed over time.
- This shift was not found in those respondents aged 50 and over.

IntroductionThere has been a recent decrease in population level alcohol consumption in Australia, particularly in young people. Whether this is due to increasing abstinence or a shift in the way people think about alcohol is not known. The aim of this study is to investigate trends in self-identification of drinker types in Australia from 2001 to 2013 in light of shifting patterns of alcohol consumption in Australia.MethodsFive waves of the National Drug Strategy Household Survey from 2001 to 2013 (N = 118,416) were used to assess trends in self-identification as a drinker type (non-, ex-, occasional, light, social, heavy and binge drinker). Consumption patterns and demographics of the self-identified groups were also examined.ResultsThe pattern of self-identification has mostly remained steady over time. The two exceptions to this are a decrease in identification as a social drinker (28% to 22%) and a corresponding increase in identification as a non-drinker (from 19% to 27%). There are few changes over time in the demographic make-up of, or consumption patterns in, the social drinker category with the exception of those over 50, who continue to identify as social drinkers at the same rate.ConclusionThe recent increase in abstinence in Australia seems to be matched by a corresponding decrease in self-identified social drinkers, particularly among those under 50. This indicates that the decrease in consumption is not occurring in those most likely to experience harms.