The number of American online video viewers has doubled over the past year, with more and more younger viewers watching movies and TV shows online, according to a study by ABI Research, Yahoo News reported.

The number of Americans who watch video streamed on the Web has soared from 32 percent last year to 63 percent, according to the study.

The reasons for the growth include the increasing amount of rich content available and more broadband connections, ABI Research reported.

“Broadband speeds have continued to increase at the same time that Hollywood has decided online distribution is a legitimate monetization opportunity that will increase total return on their video assets, and expand audiences,” ABI's Digital Home Research Director Michael Wolf said in a statement.

The study found that most of the growth in the number of American online video viewers was among younger groups, but “consumers of all age groups (are) increasing the frequency and duration of their online video consumption,” Yahoo News reported.

The demand for both short- and long-form video increased. However, movies or long-form television shows online were mostly watched by young viewers.

“When asked if they watched long-form content in the form of TV shows or movies online, nearly half of those under 25, and 53 percent of those aged 25 - 29 indicate they do so once a month or more,” according to ABI Research.

“Today's younger consumers are developing habits that will mean drastic changes for the video entertainment market,” Wolf said. “Many consume a large percentage or even a majority of their video entertainment through online distribution today,” according to Yahoo News.