More young people abstaining from alcohol, and others drinking less

More young people are choosing not to drink alcohol, and many others are drinking less, according to a UCL research team. The study, published in BMC Public Health , analysed a 10-year period of data from the annual Health Survey for England. Researchers found that the proportion of 16 to 24 year olds who don't drink alcohol increased from 18% in 2005 to 29% in 2015. The authors attributed this trend largely to an increasing number of people who had never been drinkers - a rise from 9% in 2005 to 17% in 2015. There were also significant decreases in the number of young people who drank above recommended limits (down from 43% to 28%) or who binge-drank* (down from 27% to 18%). More young people were also engaging in weekly abstinence (up from 35% in 2005 to 50% in 2015). Dr Linda Ng Fat (UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care), lead author of the study, said: "Increases in non-drinking among young people were found across a broad range of groups, including those living in northern or southern regions of England, among the white population, those in full-time education, in employment and across all social classes and healthier groups.