See the new survey in the country

Abstinence rates increased from 46% to 64% among people aged 18 to 24 years, and from 47% to 61% among people aged 25 to 34 years. According to Mariana Tepes, sociologist and CISA coordinator, the data confirm that Brazilian youth, as observed at the international level, drink less. Furthermore, abusive consumption among 18 to 24 age groups fell from 20% to 13% over two years. Most people, when they drink, have one or two drinks at each occasion.

— This confirms the hypothesis we’ve been working on, which is that the younger generation actually seems to be abandoning alcohol. We still don’t know whether they have stopped drinking and are just practicing healthy behaviors or whether they prefer other substances. But, in any case, it is a positive fact that this generation is distorting the relationship that was already traditional with alcohol use in youth – says Marianna Tepes, Doctor of Sociology and Coordinator of CISA.

Director Lukas Dantas is a clear example of this. At 33, he doesn’t drink. When he goes out with friends, even if others are drinking, he sticks to water, juice, or soft drinks.

-I didn’t have a good relationship with drinking. I had seen people in my family who were alcoholics, so I never had a good reference regarding that and that generated a certain 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 twenties, but I concluded that alcohol was not for me – says the young man.

Another reason you should stay away from drinking is lifestyle.

-I really like training. I go to the gym and do cardio and alcohol impairs performance. I see people at the gym who don’t stop drinking on the weekends and don’t make any progress. So, I weigh what’s most important on the scale, Lucas says.

Regarding the profile of those abstaining from alcohol, the largest increases recorded in the survey occurred among individuals with higher education (from 49% to 62%), residents of the South-Eastern region (from 51% to 62%) and classes A/B (from 44% to 55%), and are most pronounced in municipalities located in urban areas and capital cities.

We did not see this phenomenon in the lower classes. This reinforces that it may be something more classroom-focused among more privileged young people – Thebes assesses.

The research also indicated a decrease in the frequency of alcohol consumption, with alcohol intake reduced by 6 percentage points to once a week or every two weeks. Among drinkers, more than a third (39%) consume one or two drinks on each occasion.

Moderate alcohol consumption, according to CISA, is defined as a maximum of one standard drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men, or up to 7 drinks per week for women and 14 drinks for men. According to the Ministry of Health, the standard dose is equivalent to 10 grams of pure alcohol, which is approximately equivalent to 250 ml of beer (5% alcohol), 100 ml of wine (12.5% ​​alcohol) or 30 ml of distilled spirits (vodka, whisky, cachaca and tequila, with 40% alcohol).

Abusive consumption is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as 60 grams of alcohol or more on at least one occasion in the past month, which equates to 4 or more drinks for women and 5 or more drinks for men. The difference in the limit between men and women occurs because women generally have lower weight and height and have lower liver enzymes that metabolize alcohol.

Despite declining consumption and expanding abstinence, abusive consumption remains a public health challenge, although it has remained stable in the general population, from 17% (2023) to 15% (2025). Drinkers have a false perception of consumption: 82% believe they drink in moderation – a higher proportion than observed in 2023 (75%), and only 9% realize they are overdoing it and need to change (13% in 2023).

“A misinterpretation of your consumption pattern makes it difficult to change your habit. Being more tolerant to alcohol, that is, drinking more and not feeling the effects of alcohol, does not mean being more resistant or protected from the harm caused by alcohol. On the contrary, the need to increase the amount of alcohol to achieve the desired effects is a warning sign,” explains Arthur Guerra, psychiatrist and president of CISA, in a statement.

For this reason, it is important to identify the most vulnerable groups to strengthen educational and prevention campaigns. The survey showed that heavy alcohol consumption (7 or more drinks per occasion) is most prevalent among: males (26%), ages 25 to 44 (54%), high school graduates (25%) and those from the North/Midwest (31%).

Deaths and hospitalizations due to harmful use of alcohol

The publication “Alcohol and the Health of Brazilians: Panorama 2025” also provides updated data on deaths and hospitalizations of Brazilians due to harmful use of alcohol, based on data made available by Datasus. Between 2010 and 2023, heavy alcohol consumption by people aged 55 and older increased from 7.7% to 8.6%, driven by women in this age group.

“Excessive drinking is dangerous regardless of age, but it is most harmful among older people. Aging can reduce the body’s ability to tolerate alcohol due to a series of physiological changes and changes in body composition. Therefore, the effects of alcohol intake are usually more pronounced compared to adults of the same sex and weight,” explains Natalia Haddad, psychiatrist and vice president of CISA.

Among deaths caused by alcohol, for example, in 2023, 73,019 deaths related to alcohol use were recorded – an increase of 10.2% between 2010 and 2023, at a rate of 34.5 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. Of these deaths, 55% occurred among residents aged 55 years or older, in 2023, a representation that has been increasing since 2010. Fifteen states are above the national index, with the highest rates being in Espirito Santo (47), followed by Paraná (40.7), Piauí (41.7), and Tocantins (41.9).

Regarding hospital admissions due to alcohol, in 2024, Brazil recorded 418,467 hospital admissions due to alcohol use, an increase of 24.2% compared to 2010. It was the 55+ age group that recorded the greatest growth, with an 81.8% increase in the number of hospital admissions due to alcohol use, compared between 2010 and 2024.

The country has reached a hospitalization rate of 196.8 per 100,000 population, and 11 states exceed the national average. The highest rates were recorded in Paraná (282.1), followed by Espirito Santo (267.3) and Mato Grosso do Sul (256.3).

—Over the years, we have noticed an increase in abusive use among older adults, especially among women. And an increase in the consequences of harmful use, based on data on hospital admissions and deaths, which increased only in this age group, 55 years and older. Tepes points out that other age groups have remained stable. – This is worrying, because the Brazilian population is aging, and for many people, it is a time associated with social isolation, from family, and can bring challenges. Not to mention the health issues. It is a stage of life when chronic diseases are most prevalent. So, when you abuse alcohol at this stage of life, it can be very dangerous.

Despite definitions of moderate consumption, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that no pattern of alcohol consumption is completely safe. A growing body of research indicates the harms of drinking alcohol, even just one glass of red wine at dinner every day.

According to the latest evidence, in addition to increasing the risk of at least seven types of cancer, a single dose a day can increase the likelihood of developing conditions such as high blood pressure and irregular heartbeat, both of which can lead to stroke, heart failure or other health consequences. However, only moderate consumption poses a low risk to health.