Age gradients in adults’ intention to reduce alcohol use in Belgium

Motivation to reduce alcohol use varies by age and reflects both life-course position and current alcohol use patterns. Daily alcohol use increases with age, raising questions about whether age differences in intentions to reduce alcohol use persist after accounting for this. This study examined age differences in adults’ intention to reduce alcohol use, adjusting for daily alcohol use. Data were drawn from the 2025 Preventiebarometer, a probability-based cross-sectional survey among adults in Flanders, Belgium (N = 3,856, 18+). Among adults who reported alcohol use in the past year, intention to reduce alcohol use in the next year was assessed. Bivariate analyses examined age differences in daily alcohol use. Multivariate logistic regression analyses assessed associations of age and daily alcohol use with intention to reduce alcohol use, adjusting for gender and education level. Descriptive analyses were weighted to reflect population distribution by age, gender and education. 79.8% of adults reported alcohol use in the past year and 4.0% reported daily use. The prevalence of daily alcohol use increased with age, exceeding 9% among adults aged 65+. Among adults who reported alcohol use in the past year, 37.9% reported an intention to reduce their alcohol use. Compared to adults aged 18–24, older age groups showed higher odds of intending to reduce alcohol use, strongest among those aged 65–74 (OR = 2.05; 95% CI: 1.63–2.59). Adults who reported daily alcohol use had higher odds of intending to reduce their alcohol use (daily vs non-daily: OR = 1.54; 95% CI: 1.24–1.91). There is an age gradient in intention to reduce alcohol use, with higher intentions among older adults, independent of daily alcohol use. Adults who reported daily alcohol use also show higher intentions to reduce alcohol use. These findings highlight older adults as a target group for tailored alcohol prevention strategies, combining higher levels of daily alcohol use and a greater readiness to change.

Key messages

• Older adults have higher intentions to change their alcohol use.

• Older adults are an important target group for tailored alcohol prevention, given their higher levels of daily alcohol use and greater willingness to reduce alcohol use compared to younger adults.