India, Aug. 14 -- Fewer Americans are drinking alcohol than ever before, according to new Gallup data, and experts say growing awareness of alcohol's health risks is a major reason why.

"For quite some time, there's been this heavy focus on [the effects of] heavy drinking or binge drinking," Sarah Dermody, a psychology professor at Toronto Metropolitan University, told NPR.

This year, just 54% of U.S. adults reported that they drink alcohol, the lowest since Gallup began tracking the habit in 1939. The previous low, recorded in 1958, was only one percentage point higher.

Notably, older research once suggested moderate drinking, like a daily glass of red wine, could have health benefits, but researchers found the earlier "benefits" were...