From ‘zebra striping’ to ‘damp drinking’, younger Australians are embracing moderation when it comes to alcohol |Katinka van de Ven and Nicole Lee for the Conversation

In 2001 , 13.6% of Australians aged 1824 drank less than once a month.

That’s since increased to 20% , or one in five .

The proportion of young people who’ve never consumed a full glass of alcohol has also doubled since 2001 .

Trend of “zebra striping’ means alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

The rise of damp drinking’ is another shift from all-or-nothing approaches to alcohol.

Alcohol and other drug support organisations, such as Hello Sunday Morning and Smart Recovery , offer free, evidence-based, digital support and resources for people who want to change their drinking habits. These services emphasise harm reduction and self-compassion, encouraging individuals to set realistic goals and achieve lasting change. - This article originally appeared in the Conversation . Katinka van de Ven is an alcohol and other drug specialist at UNSW Sydney . Nicole Lee is an adjunct professor at the National Drug Research Institute , Curtin University .