Sober Curious: Is Gen Z setting a new trend?

YOUNG PEOPLE ARE DRINKING LESS THAN EVER BEFORE, AND MANY ARE EXPLORING THE BENEFITS OF SOBRIETY. IS WELLNESS-MAXXING OVERTAKING PARTY CULTURE? READ ON TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SOBER CURIOUS MOVEMENT AND WHY YOU MAY WANT TO JOIN IT.

- PRIYANKA ACHARYA

Consuming alcohol and socialising have gone hand-in-hand for centuries, in most cultures around the world. The Swedes take shots of potent aquavit at their mid-sommar parties; Spaniards keep wine on the table for both lunch and dinner; English law permits 16-year-olds to have a single pint of beer at the pub if accompanied by a parent; and as I've written about before, Indian dinner parties are unique in that dinner is only served after hours of drinking. Television and film reinforce the idea that alcohol is essential to loosening up, celebrating, or unwinding after a tough day. This is why it is noteworthy that Gen Z, or people born between 1997 and 2012, is drinking less than ever!

Times of India cites a study by Berenberg Research that compared Gen Z's drinking habits to millennials when they were their age, and found a significant drop of 20% less alcohol consumed per capita. And Forbes mentions another study that found that for those of legal drinking age up to age 24, 30% report drinking less than last year, and 13% had given up alcohol altogether. Let's examine the reasons behind this trend, and why it might behoove us older ones to follow suit.

The primary motivation for young people to drink less is health and wellness. Everyone has access to information about what is good and bad for us, and all research around alcohol shows that there is zero health benefit but plenty of detriment, including a higher likelihood of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, liver disease and mental health issues. While previous generations idolised the rock star lifestyle and equated partying with coolness, the current generation sees how those icons ended up (in rehab, or deceased, or looking like withered husks of their former selves), and instead looks up to people like Jennifer Lopez and Cristiano Ronaldo, whose dedication to healthy lifestyles with little to no alcohol has maximised both their beauty and bank accounts.