See new domestic research

Abstinence rates increased from 46% to 64% among 18- to 24-year-olds, and from 47% to 61% among 25- to 34-year-olds. Mariana Tibes, PhD in sociology and CISA coordinator, said the data supports what has been observed internationally that young Brazilians are drinking less alcohol. Furthermore, abusive consumption among the 18-24 age group decreased from 20% to 13% in two years. When most people drink alcohol, they have one to two drinks at a time.

— This confirms the hypothesis we’ve been studying that younger generations actually seem to be turning away from alcohol. It remains to be seen whether they are simply practicing healthy behaviors by quitting drinking, or if they prefer other substances. But in any case, the positive fact is that this generation is already distorting traditional relationships through youthful alcohol abuse, says Mariana Tibes, Ph.D. in sociology and CISA coordinator.

Administrator Lucas Dantas is a clear example. The 33-year-old doesn’t drink alcohol. When he goes out with friends, he sticks to water, juice, and soda, even if everyone else is drinking.

— I didn’t have a very good relationship with alcohol. There was someone in my family who was an alcoholic. So I never had a proper reference for it and it created a kind of aversion to drinking in me. he says.

Despite his family history, he said he had already tried beer, wine and gin but didn’t like any of them.

— I tried it when I was in my early 20s and came to the conclusion that alcohol was not for me — says the young man.

Another reason to refrain from drinking alcohol is lifestyle.

–You really like training. I go to the gym and do cardio, but alcohol slows down my performance. I see people at the gym who can’t make any progress if they don’t drink on the weekends. So I weigh what’s most important – says Lucas.

Regarding the profile of abstainers, the largest increases recorded in the study occurred among individuals with higher education (49% to 62%), residents of the southeast region (51% to 62%), and class A/B (44% to 55%), and were more pronounced in municipalities located in metropolitan areas and capitals.

—This phenomenon was not observed in lower classes. This, Tibes assesses, supports the possibility that it is class-focused among more privileged young people.

The study also showed a decrease in the frequency of alcohol consumption, with a 6 percentage point reduction in weekly or biweekly alcohol consumption. More than a third (39%) of drinkers consume one to two drinks at a time.

According to CISA, moderate alcohol intake is defined as no more than one standard drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men, or no more than seven drinks per week for women and no more than 14 drinks per week for men. According to the Ministry of Health, a standard dose is equivalent to 10 g of pure alcohol, which is equivalent to 250 ml of beer (5% alcohol), 100 ml of wine (12.5% ​​alcohol) or 30 ml of spirits (vodka, whisky, cachaça, tequila with 40% alcohol).

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines abuse as consuming 60g or more of alcohol on at least one occasion in the last month, which equates to four or more drinks for women and five or more drinks for men. The difference in thresholds between men and women occurs because women generally have lower weight, height, and lower levels of the enzymes in their liver that metabolize alcohol.

Despite reduced consumption and increased abstinence, abusive consumption remains a public health challenge, but has stabilized in the general population from 17% (2023) to 15% (2025). Alcohol abusers have misconceptions about drinking. 82% believe they drink alcohol in moderation. This is higher than the proportion observed in 2023 (75%), with only 9% (13% in 2023) recognizing that they are drinking excessively and need to change.

“Misinterpreting your own consumption patterns makes it difficult to change your habits. Increased tolerance to alcohol, that is, not feeling the effects of alcohol even when you drink in large quantities, does not mean that you are more tolerant of alcohol or protected from alcohol’s harm. On the contrary, the need to increase the amount of alcohol to achieve the desired effects is a red flag,” explains psychiatrist and CISA president Arthur Guerra in a statement.

Considering this, it is important to identify the most vulnerable groups to drive education and prevention campaigns. The study showed that heavy alcohol consumption (seven or more drinks on one occasion) was more common among men (26%), ages 25 to 44 (54%), high school graduates (25%), and people from northern/midwestern regions (31%).

Deaths and hospitalizations due to harmful use of alcohol

The publication “Alcohol and the health of Brazilians: Panorama 2025” also provides the latest data on mortality and hospitalizations among Brazilians caused by the harmful use of alcohol, based on data available from Datasus. Between 2010 and 2023, alcohol abuse by people aged 55 and older increased from 7.7% to 8.6%. This was led by women in this age group.

“Excessive drinking is dangerous at any age, but it is even more harmful in older people. As we age, a series of physiological changes and changes in body composition can reduce the body’s tolerance to alcohol. Therefore, the effects of this alcohol intake are usually more pronounced compared to adults of the same sex and weight,” explains Natalia Haddad, a psychiatrist and deputy director of CISA.

For example, in 2023, 73,019 deaths related to alcohol use were recorded. This increased by 10.2% between 2010 and 2023, resulting in a death rate of 34.5 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. In 2023, 55% of these deaths will occur in the population aged 55 and over, and this proportion has increased since 2010. Fifteen states were above the national index, with the highest death rate in Espírito Santo (47 people), followed by Paraná (40.7), Piauí (41.7) and Tocantins (41.9).

Regarding alcohol-related hospitalizations, in 2024 there were 418,467 hospitalizations related to alcohol use in Brazil, an increase of 24.2% compared to 2010. The largest increase was recorded in the 55+ age group, where hospitalizations related to alcohol use increased by 81.8% when comparing 2010 and 2024.

The number of hospitalizations in the country has reached 196.8 per 100,000 people, with 11 states exceeding the national hospitalization rate. The highest percentage was recorded in the state of Paraná (282.1), followed by Espírito Santo (267.3) and Mato Grosso do Sul (256.3).

— For many years, we have noticed an increase in abuse among older people, especially women. Additionally, based on data on hospitalizations and deaths, the increase in the effects of harmful use increased only in this age group, people 55 and older. Other age groups remained stable, Thibes noted. — This is concerning because Brazil’s population is aging and this is a time of social isolation from family that can pose challenges for many. Not to mention health issues. It is the stage of life when chronic diseases are more prevalent. Therefore, abusing alcohol at this stage of life can lead to very serious consequences.

Despite the definition of moderate drinking, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that there is no absolutely safe pattern of alcohol consumption. A growing number of studies are pointing out the harms of drinking alcohol, even if you just drink a glass of red wine with dinner every day.

In addition to increasing the risk of at least seven types of cancer, the latest evidence suggests that even once-daily doses increase the likelihood of developing conditions such as high blood pressure and irregular heartbeats, both of which can lead to stroke, heart failure, and other health problems. However, moderate intake poses low health risks.