A national poll has revealed that 44 per cent of Australians who drink alcohol want to drink less or stop drinking altogether.
The poll asked Australians whether they have any plans to change how much alcohol they drink, the reasons for their intentions and whether they have access to resources to help inform their decision-making.
Key findings
- Three quarters of Australians surveyed (77%) currently drink alcohol.
- Of Australians who reported drinking alcohol in the past year, 44% want to use less or stop drinking altogether.
- Of people that report wanting to drink less or stop drinking alcohol altogether:
- Three quarters (75%) wish to do so to improve their physical health
- Half (50%) want to improve their mental health
- More than a third (37%) want to improve their sleep
- One in seven (15%) feel like they don’t have the information and resources needed to make the change.
- A majority of the Australians surveyed (61%) report not being familiar with the content of the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) Guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol.
- Almost one in five (18%) Australians surveyed had ever had someone express concern about their drinking, with one in seven (14%) reporting this in the last year.
