Research articleThe Intensity of Binge Alcohol Consumption Among U.S. Adults
Introduction
Excessive alcohol consumption is a leading preventable cause of death1 that causes approximately 79,000 deaths annually in the U.S., and it shortens the lives of those who die by approximately 30 years.2 Binge drinking, often defined as the consumption of five or more drinks on an occasion, typically results in acute impairment and is responsible for more than half of these deaths.2, 3 Binge drinking is also a leading risk factor for a variety of health and social outcomes, such as unintentional injuries, violence, unintended pregnancy, and cardiovascular disease.4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Studies have demonstrated that the risk of alcohol-related harms increases with the intensity of binge drinking—that is, with an increased number of drinks consumed per binge episode and with higher blood alcohol concentrations.9, 10, 11, 12 However, we are unaware of prior studies that have characterized the number of drinks consumed per binge episode on a population basis. Such information is crucial for characterizing the risks associated with binge drinking and for evaluating the impact of strategies to prevent this behavior. This study used population-based data from a module of questions on binge drinking among U.S. adults to assess the number of drinks consumed by binge drinkers and independent risk factors for consuming more drinks during a person's most recent binge drinking episode.
Section snippets
Methods
Data for this study came from the CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Extensive detail about the BRFSS and its methods are available at www.cdc.gov/brfss/. In brief, the BRFSS includes state-based random-digit-dial telephone surveys of people aged ≥18 years, which are conducted monthly in all states, the District of Columbia, and some territories; survey instruments contain questions on a variety of health risk measures, including alcohol consumption. Data are weighted to
Results
The study population was 75.1% male, with 52.7% aged ≤34 years, 59.4% with at least some college education, and 72.8% of white non-Hispanic race/ethnicity. Overall, binge drinkers consumed an average of 8.0 (median=6) drinks during their most recent binge drinking episode (Table 1). Groups that consumed a significantly higher number of binge drinks included those who were male; aged 18–34 years; belonged to racial/ethnic groups other than white non-Hispanic (data not shown); had no college
Discussion
To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the intensity of binge drinking, that is, the total number of drinks consumed during a discrete binge drinking episode. It was found that adult binge drinkers in the U.S. consumed an average of eight drinks per binge episode, and that 70% of binge drinkers consumed six or more drinks, including almost 40% who consumed eight or more drinks. Although drinking just five drinks on one occasion is associated with adverse outcomes in epidemiologic
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