Fewer people are picking up something to read just for the sheer enjoyment of it, according to a new study by the University of Florida and University College London .

UF researchers and their colleagues concluded that “leisure reading” in the United States has declined about 40% in the past 20 years. The project reviewed input from over 236,000 Americans who took part in the American Time Use Survey, a study conducted between 2003 and 2023.

“The findings suggest a fundamental cultural shift: few people are carving out time in their day to read for enjoyment,” a UF news release said.

UF researchers say the implications on American culture are alarming.

“This is not just a small dip — it’s a sustained, steady decline of about 3% per year,” said Jill Sonke , Director

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