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Dataset characterization and measures of reading. Credit: iScience (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.113288
If you love nothing more than devouring a page-turner in your free time, you're becoming a rare breed. Reading for pleasure among adults in the United States has fallen dramatically in the last two decades. A new study from the University of Florida and University College London, published in iScience, found that leisure reading, or reading for fun, has declined by 40% in the last 20 years.
The researchers used data from a large government survey of over 236,000 people from 2003 to 2023, where participants were asked to provide details of their activities during 24-hour periods. The study focused on two activities: reading for pleasure (reading a book, newspaper, magazine, reading on electronic devices and listening to audiobooks) and reading with children. Data from 2020 was excluded because it was difficult to gather information during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The research team found that the percentage of people who read for pleasure each day dropped from 28% in 2004 to 16% in 2023, representing a decline of 3% each year. However, among those who do read for pleasure, the amount of time they spent doing so increased from 1 hour and 23 minutes in 2003 to 1 hour and 37 minutes in 2023.
The study also revealed significant disparities among different populations. There was a steeper drop in the percentage of Black adults who read for pleasure, as well as among those who are less educated, have lower incomes and live in nonmetropolitan areas. The paper also noted that although reading with children is rare, it has not changed much over time.
While the researchers did not look at the causes of this dramatic drop, they point to several possible contributing factors. These include competition from digital media and social media, as well as the possibility that some people are reading less for enjoyment and more for practical purposes, such as keeping up with online news services.
According to Dr. Jessika K. Bone, the paper's lead author, the research makes a clear case for action. "Our findings demonstrate the urgent need for more targeted strategies to increase opportunities for reading for the whole population, and particularly among high-risk groups."
Writing a new chapter for reading
There are numerous benefits of reading for pleasure, from improving literacy skills and overall well-being to nurturing the imagination and preventing cognitive decline. The drop in reading rates means that many people are missing out on an enjoyable and enriching activity.
The study's findings could help inform policies aimed at promoting reading, especially among disadvantaged groups. Libraries, schools and community programs can also use this data to design more effective public initiatives.
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More information: Jessica K. Bone et al, The decline in reading for pleasure over 20 years of the American Time Use Survey, iScience (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.113288 Journal information: iScience
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