Use and Motivations for Consuming No and Low (NoLo) Alcohol Beverages Among US Adults 21 Years or Older

No and low alcohol (NoLo) beverages have experienced significant industry expansion and may be a useful tool in reducing harmful alcohol consumption. However, there is scant research detailing their use and acceptability in the United States (US). The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of NoLo use patterns and to describe the use and motivation for use of NoLo products.

Data were collected using Prolific to recruit a sample (n = 1464) of US adults ≥ 21 years old. Participants completed a 30-min survey about their experiences with NoLo beverages (e.g., if they ever tried them, motivation for use), current alcohol use, psychosocial factors and sociodemographic characteristics. Analyses comprised of descriptive statistics, bivariable comparisons and multivariable logistic regression models assessing factors associated with having ever tried NoLo (dichotomised).

Three-quarters of participants reported having tried NoLo beverages. Frequently reported motivations for NoLo consumption were to decrease alcohol consumption (45.5%), abstain from drinking (37.4%) and avoid the negative effects of alcohol (36.8%). Many sociodemographic factors were associated with having tried NoLo. Notably, people who reported moderate- or high-risk alcohol consumption (AUDIT-10; AOR = 2.0, 95% CI 1.4, 3.0) and people who had tried to quit drinking alcohol (AOR = 2.7, 95% CI 1.9, 3.7) had higher odds of trying NoLo beverages.

This study highlights current trends in the use and acceptability of NoLo beverages in the US, which have potential to reduce harmful alcohol use.