{"id":148087,"date":"2026-10-16T17:31:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-16T21:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kendallharmon.net\/?p=148087"},"modified":"2026-10-16T18:12:06","modified_gmt":"2026-10-16T22:12:06","slug":"gallup-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kendallharmon.net\/?p=148087","title":{"rendered":"(Gallup) Religion and the Decline in Alcohol Use"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As Gallup recently reported<\/a>, Americans\u2019 use of alcohol is at its lowest point in history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The question that follows, of course, is \u201cWhy the change?\u201d There are numerous possible explanations. One of these involves religion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At first glance, Gallup data on religion and drinking are counterintuitive. The country has become less religious<\/a> overall. Yet, as I noted in a 2019 analysis<\/a>, less religious Americans have historically been the most likely to drink. If changes in Americans’ religiosity were a primary driver of alcohol use, we should have seen an increase in drinking, not a decrease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That hasn\u2019t happened. Alcohol use is down despite the increasing numbers of less religious (and historically more likely to drink) Americans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The explanation for these trends lies in changes in drinking patterns among<\/em> those who are less religious. Those who attend religious services less than weekly \u2014 a growing group that constitutes the significant majority of all Americans \u2014 are now reporting their lowest use of alcohol in our Gallup timeline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read it all<\/a>.<\/p>

Just 21% of U.S. adults attend religious services weekly, down from 30% about 15 years ago.\n\nWhile frequent religious service attendance has historically been associated with lower alcohol consumption, Americans are drinking less overall, including those who attend services less frequently.\n\nFull story: https:\/\/t.co\/1NFtPa2KZK<\/p>— Gallup (@Gallup) October 16, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote>\n