Latest news with #youngAmericans
Forbes
3 days ago
- Health
- Forbes
Americans Are Drinking Less Alcohol Than Ever Before. Here's What To Know
The percentage of U.S. adults that report consuming alcohol has fallen to a record low of 54%, according to a recent Gallup poll. Gallup has been tracking trends in drinking behavior among Americans since 1939. The lowest percentage of alcohol consumption prior to this year was in 1958 when alcohol intake was reported at 55%. For young Americans, the results are even more telling. Nearly 50% of Americans aged 18 to 34 reported drinking alcohol, compared to 56% of people 35 and up. For the first time ever, the majority (53%) of Americans believe that moderate drinking (having one or two drinks a day) is unhealthy, demonstrating a major shift in the public perception of alcohol. These trends come as there has been increasing social awareness of the deleterious effects of alcohol on health. As an example, major medical societies like the American Public Health Association have spoken out against the harmful effects of alcohol. The APHA has stated that alcohol has no health benefits. The World Health Organization has similarly stated that no amount of alcohol consumption is safe for health. Alcohol can cause a series of health problems for individuals. The drug is associated with a number of cancers- including the breast, colon, liver, mouth and esophagus; to name a few. Long-term effects of alcohol can also lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, liver disease and a weakened immune system that can make individuals susceptible to getting infections. The growing health concerns over alcohol could also be shifting cultural norms surrounding alcohol. For decades, alcohol has been celebrated in American culture and has been synonymous with parties, weddings and major sporting events. As the majority of Americans now believe moderate drinking is unhealthy, Americans may start to choose non-alcoholic alternatives in an effort to augment health. Given these shifts, there may be strong support for public health messaging and warning labels on alcohol, such as those suggested by prior U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. Dr. Murthy has called for cancer warning labels on alcohol products, and this could serve as a tipping point towards wider reforms for alcohol, similar to how warning labels have been placed on tobacco cigarettes. Despite the general trend of decreased alcohol consumption in the United States, many Americans still drink alcohol with a percentage rate of 54% still representing a majority. Over 140,000 Americans die from the effect of alcohol in an average year and one in ten Americans over the age of 12 suffer from Alcohol Use Disorder, according to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics. Much more work still needs to be done to ensure Americans remain healthy from the detrimental effects of alcohol. The data from the July 2025 Gallup poll is clear- Americans are now drinking at historic lows and there is a growing awareness of the harms of even moderate alcohol consumption. If these trends are sustained, the public health benefits could be immense. Less alcohol intake would mean lower rates of cancer, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, and harm related to interpersonal violence and traffic accidents.
Yahoo
09-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Young Americans drowning in credit card debt as delinquency rates climb near 10% in Q2
Young Americans continued to make up the largest share of those transitioning into credit card delinquency in the second quarter, according to a report released by the New York Federal ticking down slightly from the previous quarter, the report showed that nearly 10% of credit card balances held by Americans aged 18-29 became 90 or more days overdue in the second quarter. New York Fed researchers said credit card delinquency rates for Americans under 40 have been "unusually elevated," adding they are keeping a "close eye" on the trend. The rate of balances transitioning into serious delinquency for 18-29-year-olds has hovered around the 10% mark since 2023. Before then, the last time the rate eclipsed 10% was in 2010. Americans' Credit Card And Household Debt Reach All-time High The report comes after data painted an increasingly shaky picture of the financial security of members of Gen Z. A separate report by the New York Fed found that the unemployment rate for recent college graduates aged 22-27 had spiked from post-pandemic lows, and is 0.7% higher than the national rate as of June. Excluding the pandemic, the unemployment rate for recent college graduates in March 2025 was the highest in more than a data shows that members of Gen Z are becoming increasingly spread thin by both new and traditional credit services. A Bank of America Institute Report from June 2025 found that "buy now, pay later" (BNPL) usage among members of Gen Z accelerated in the last year after three years of slowing growth. What Would Be The Impact Of A Credit Card Interest Rate Cap? Read On The Fox Business App Though most BNPL lenders do not report payments to credit bureaus, New York Fed researchers said that usage of BNPL was much higher among younger borrowers compared to those in other age groups. Affirm has begun reporting payment history to Experian and said their findings suggest typical BNPL purchases were fairly small, ranging from $600 to $1,000, though, "from what we're hearing … now it's extended to even smaller purchases, like even a cup of coffee."Original article source: Young Americans drowning in credit card debt as delinquency rates climb near 10% in Q2 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Daily Mail
28-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Surprising group are living in fear as they struggle to get hired despite strong job market
New graduates are struggling to find work despite recent data indicating a steady job market. For those graduating college it is the most difficult time in a decade to get that first foot on the career ladder, according to the latest figures. Young Americans are complaining that employers want years of experience even for entry level positions. Others are saying that they are having to apply for over 60 jobs before finally landing a tentative position. Overall national unemployment remains reasonably low at 4 percent, but this rises to 6.6 percent for new college graduates, Labor Department numbers show. The figures show a rise from the 6 percent unemployment rate for recent graduates the same time a year ago. It is part of a wider trend that has seen entry-level hiring fall by a staggering 17 percent since April 2019, according to data from LinkedIn. The bad news for new graduates comes despite a stronger-than-expected jobs report earlier this month which indicated that the labor market was holding steady amid the economic turbulence caused by President Donald Trump's tariffs. The economy added 139,000 jobs in May, above the Dow Jones estimate for 125,000. But despite the better than expected numbers, it was still a retreat in job growth from April, signaling remaining uncertainty about where the US economy is headed. Although young graduates tend to have a higher unemployment rate than those who have been in the workforce longer, the gap is only widening. The employment conditions for recent college graduates have 'deteriorated noticeably' in the first quarter of the year, according to a recent report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. This included college graduates aged 22 to 27 who have been in the workforce slightly longer. Unemployment for this group averaged 5.8 percent in the first three months of the year. That is the widest gap between young graduates and the broader population in 35 years, according to the study. Economists are blaming the general slowdown in hiring that is hitting new graduates hardest because layoffs for those already employed have remained low. This means it is harder for those without work to find it as companies look to tighten their belts in the face of economic headwinds. 'Businesses are hunkering down, and that creates a challenge for young workers entering the labor market for the first time,' Cory Stahle, an economist at jobs site Indeed, told the Wall Street Journal. Employers are less willing to take a punt on hires with less experience and thinner skill sets at the moment, Stahle explained. 'I'll think, "I could be good at this, but I haven't been given a shot yet,"' recent graduate Kirby Child told the Journal about her job search struggles. Child said one of the biggest barriers is that employers now want years of experience even for entry level positions. 'I don't have those three to five years of experience, and it feels really hard to get that,' the 22-year-old lamented. Zara Anwar, who graduated with Child from Lehigh University this year said she has applied for over 60 jobs before finally landing a position. However, her employer has pushed back her start date more than once. 'I worry for myself. I can only hope my job actually does start in August, but I truly don't know,' the cognitive science graduate told the publication. Guy Berger, director of economic research at the Burning Glass Institute think tank, agreed that a hiring slowdown is the biggest factor making it hard for graduates to find work. The situation could be even worse than the statistics let on since most of this year's college and high-school graduates are not yet registered in the unemployment statistics yet. The national unemployment level also managed to remain low in May because fewer people were registered in the workforce. The work habits of Gen Z — those born between 1997 and 2012 — are increasingly under scrutiny. Bosses are firing Gen Z in record time, a recent study revealed.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Goodbye Fancy Bar, Hello At-Home Pizza Party: Young Americans Cut Back
Young Americans' shopping spree is over. In-store and online purchases for 18- to 24-year-olds fell 13% year-over-year between January and April, according to market research firm Circana. A combination of economic challenges is driving the decline.
Wall Street Journal
25-06-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
Goodbye Fancy Bar, Hello At-Home Pizza Party: Young Americans Cut Back
Young Americans' shopping spree is over. In-store and online purchases for 18- to 24-year-olds fell 13% year-over-year between January and April, according to market research firm Circana. Spending by older groups is still on the rise but has slowed.
