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January 10th, 2012
02:03 PM ET
Americans binge drinking moreBinge drinking is a bigger problem in the United States than previously thought. Adults binge drink more frequently and consume more drinks when they do, according to the CDC. Ursula Bauer, Director of the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, announced the findings during a telebriefing Tuesday. “Excessive alcohol consumption, including binge drinking, accounts for 80,000 deaths in the U.S. each year,” she said, “making it the third leading preventable cause of death.” Those deaths are typically the result of motor vehicle crashes or violence against others while under the influence. “Binge drinking,” said Bauer, “is defined as consuming four or more drinks on an occasion for women and five or more drinks on an occasion for men.” The new numbers from the CDC's January Vital Signs report reveal that 1 in 6 adults in the United States binge drink, usually 4 times per month, and consume an average of 8 drinks per occasion. While binge drinking is more common among those with household incomes in excess of $75,000, the largest number of drinks consumed per occasion was greatest for those with household incomes of less than $25,000. Also somewhat surprising: while binge drinking is most common among 18-34 year-olds – when those 65+ binge drink – they do so more frequently. Dr. Robert Brewer, Alcohol Program Lead for the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health promotion, noted that many binge drinkers are college students, high school students, active military and medical students. According to the report, more than half of the alcohol adults drink is consumed while binge drinking and more than 90% of the alcohol young people drink is while binge drinking. Binge drinking, among other things, can lead to unplanned pregnancy, the spread of STDs, SIDS, and – of course – alcohol dependence. Excessive alcohol consumption in men increases the risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, and colon. Women are more vulnerable to brain, heart, and liver damage. “Binge drinking causes a wide range of health, social, and economic problems,” says CDC Director Thomas Frieden. “We need to work together to implement proven measures to reduce binge drinking at national, state, and community levels.” No more than 1 drink per day for women and no more than 2 drinks per day for men is considering drinking in moderation.
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Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love. Recent Comments
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So. To get drunk one must binge drink. Sorry but 99% of people who drink don't do it for the taste, they do it to get buzzed/drunk....
I'm the 1% that drinks 1, and only sometimes 2, expensive, yummy beers once every other weekend or so because they taste deeeelicious! If I want a buzz I get baked. Love you Sam Adams!
I love the taste of a margaritta and other yummy mixed drinks, I drink because they taste good not to get drunk. My husband likes the taste of a beer with dinner. So your 1% is a lil off.
If you do it for the taste then do not have them put alcohol in it.
People who say they "do it for the taste" live in a state of ignorance that I am jealous of.
Sam Adams Cream Stout. mmmmmmmm.
Fail, you think all the well cultured wine connoisseur are full of it and have no taste? The brewing/fermentation process is responsible for much of the flavor. wine or beer without alcohol tastes....awful.
I agree spencer. I have a super liver (Irish and German). In fact, I've been able to drink a six pack without feeling any head change. My liver has an above average capacity to turn alcohol into sugar. The only way I can get a buzz is to use liquor. BTW I drink from once a month to about once a season.
Ain't that the truth? This wine tastes like Black Flag...but the buzz is great!
the staggering costs of alcohal for medical problems, alcohal related crimes and fetal alcohal syndrome... are actually four times more expensive to tax payers than all the illegal drugs combined !! I am 57 and have not had a drink since I was 23 years old and I see people who are twenty years younger than me who look twenty years older than me... so toasted and burnt to a crisp from alcohal... livers bloated out in front of them like footballs while they have skinny little legs and zero body fat....
How many people die from Marijuana each year?
So according to the article I can't go to a 4-hour party and have 5 drinks without being classified as a binge drinker? Ridiculous.
"1 in 6 adults in the United States binge drink, usually 4 times per month, and consume an average of 8 drinks per occasion."
That's called weekends. :)
I think that a large percentage drinks solely to get drunk. 99%...not quite that high a percentage. There are people who drink because they like the taste of the glass of wine or beer they're drinking and there are others who don't get drunk because they don't like hangovers or have responsibilities that would make being drunk hard to fulfill (like being a parent). I suppose if you're in college or have minimal responsibility getting drunk regularly would seem to have minimal impact on your life but not everyone (or 99% of everyone) fall into that category.
i get buzzed on two beers. hardly a binge
What I can never understand is...they say 4 drinks in one day is a binge. Four beers? Four small glasses of wine?
Or four martinis? Which one really sounds like a binge?
And after traveling overseas I noticed that martinis over there don't have as much liquor in them as here in the states. So that factors in too. If they want to inform people, I wish they'd be a little more clear, that's all.
When did they lower the definition from 5 drinks? Last week? According to them, on Super Bowl Sunday tens of millions of Americans will go on a binge, even if they don't leave their home.
There is an entire internet for you to search for clarity. If they posted every statistic used in the study, the report would be too long to keep the readers' interest. JMO.
The drinking will continue 'till the economy improves (gulp).
Yeah, and once the economy improves, we'll really party!
Well, Hell Fire, that means we'll be binging constantly. Sounds like fun to me.
Yeb, you have the best brains to figure this one out real quick than most of these postings.
And that trend will continue when you have a bunch of mentally challenged, idiotic greedy, fat PIGS holding the progress of this country hostage solely for the hate of a single Blackman as Pres. of US due to the color of his skin. How evil are these same people who have plastered the Bible over their foreheads like typical gentiles.
And the other thing that boggles me is one drink per day for women is moderate. Every single day? What if you don't drink at all during thet week but then you have four drinks on a Saturday night? Still a moderate drinker? Which is actually worse fror a person – drinking one drink a day for an entire month, or one weekend consuming 8 drinks but no other alcohol consumption the rest of the month?
Consuming 8 drinks at once one time a month is worse. C'mon, think about it...use your brain...you'll figure it out.
Damn, I have four drinks a night. Am I a moderate daily drinker. What category is that?
The weekend
Americans do everything in excess. Why is this news?
You're including getting something accomplished on a daily basis, I presume...
We do, but realistically – if you look at those countries who allow younger individuals to drink (teens) – per capita, I am sure there are more drinkers in other (european) countries.
Wow!
We forgot that one!
Whew! Thanks for the reminder.
Reduce binge drinking by legalizing pot. I'll drink to that!
That will work.
/cracks open a beer
I love to read reports where money is wasted on reporting the glaringly obvious to the already aware.
Next they are going to tell us the drug users use drugs to feel good or that politicians are on the take.
The obvious seems to be CNN's idea of news.
Hmmm...The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion says excessive alcohol consumption accounts for 80,000 deaths in the U.S. each year. Would you like to know how many deaths are caused by excessive marijuana consumption each year? Well, the answer is, not a single one. Maybe the NCCDPHP (Just a guess on the acronym for the aforementioned agency) should give the DEA a call and make them aware of that fact. Legalizing marijuana is the smart thing to do, no matter what your personal opinions are. Law should not be based on personal opinion when it comes to something that doesn't harm anyone, especially if it harms no one whatsoever except for the user. You want to mean it when you say America is the most free nation on Earth and its citizens set the tone for other countries and have more freedom to make their own decisions free of government influence than any other nation. Then legalizing marijuana across the board is a pretty logical place to start. Rid our country of the ludicrous laws and policies concerning this harmless plant before its illegality causes more problems than we can solve.
Lots of vices to choose from. Some more dangerous and destructive than others. Cannabis is pretty benign.
Your first problem is that you think America is a free country.
We have the most prisoners per capita than any other country in the face of the Earth.
Even for one as self aware as you, the ideas hardwired into your head since you were young are hard to forget.
Agreed. In fact legalizing Marijuana will save thousands of lives because instead of drinking and dying, people will smoke, have a snack, and go to bed early.
That's true. I love alcohol, but if pot was legal I would skip it every other Friday or so and just smoke up and watch cartoon network.
Uuuhhhmmm...I resemble this article. Actually, my kegorator with my keg of Sam Adams, on tap, is sitting approximately 15 feet away from me.
Obama is going to blame this on Republicans and then tax rich binge drinkers
Another attack on commerce!
.....Where are my meds at...?
Reality's gotten so bad it's almost the only alternative... There are a few serious nightmares going on out there.
You said it Ed. Reality is not that great anymore. My favorite time of day is right now: 1am, everyone is asleep and I am having a couple of drinks. If I am going to drink, I do so at home and stay off the roads! That's the important thing, don't be stupid and drive! Your best bet, drink at home and stay off the roads!
all this binge drinking would explain the followers of the GOTP
Wow, which drink type can cause unplanned pregnancy, STDs and SIDs (whatever those are)?
All the more reason to legalize marijuana. not as dangerous as alcohol, new taxable revenue, jobs here instead of abroad, not additive (argument that its a gateway drug is invalid as those types would have tried other drugs anyway)
I've seen a lot of truck drivers who went from coffee to crystal meth to stay awake for the long hauls. Over the years they developed a tolerance to coffee, and moved on to something stronger. Perhaps coffee–by the same logic could be considered a gateway drug.
My guess a major contributing cause of binge drinking is watching the Republican Clown Circus debates. That would make anyone drink.
Yeb, you must be reading the minds of most Americans.
I'm tempted to do the same each time I turn on the TV and see these crazy, delusional, mentally challenged GOP clowns being paraded on TV. Sometimes you wonder what type of women gave births to these crazy and mentally challenged GOP clowns. They don't even sound like normal humans which makes it very scarily. If given the chance, they could blow the world into little pieces whilst they live in protected bunkers like Dick Cheney. As if Americans didn't learn from its unlawful invasion of Iraq.
Five standard drinks is a binge.... 'Standard,' as defined, beer is pretty much watered down pilsner. So, five bud lites between 7pm and 11pm would leave most males with a remarkably low BAC (like .02%, and lower still depending on background and exposure).
When I think of 'binge' drinking I think of people overdosing (puking, aggression, violence, blackouts, coma), not slight drowsiness.
Can we all be more rational about what angers us? 12 coors lite in an hour is binge drinking. 4 sierra nevadas over 4-5 hours really isn't.
So how many people die every year from health issues related to smoking pot? Don't forget that you can now vaporize your pot, which doesn't produce carcinogenic substances.
vaporizers are awesome
I can't imagine anyone why anyone wouldn't binge drink if they were drinking. How are you supposed to get drunk off of 4 beers? You don't see people saying, "I want to smoke pot, but I don't want to get stoned." or "I want to do mushrooms, but I don't want to hallucinate."
Dude, your .sig is WIN.
Are you really going to say that drinking leads to unplanned pregnancy and STD's....I mean really? What idiot made those parallels. At least if they had talked about drunk driving it would have been understandable
The drinking "issue" has a lot of causes that are not easily explainable. #1 the failed 21 drinking age has caused ordinary people to become lawbreakers, which makes us question the law at all turns, this is why the young group is seeing such an increase in binge drinking. #2 I am in the upper Midwest, our ancestors drank more than your average person. I think that qualifying 4 drinks or more as binge drinking is not logical. Where I live that would make 75% of the population raging alcoholics.
I only drink 3 drinks nightly.. 3 40oz bottles Old English 800 does that mean im a binger? LOL
DrunkDude, if they are High Gravity yes. You make me sick!
only read a few posts......why do so many people mention sam adams....it's a good beer but not worth the price.....there are many local brews wherever you live that are better for about the same price
Look, French people drink a bottle of wine a day and live longer than Americans. Yes, a 12 pack in 2 hours is a binge, but having a few bottles of wine in a night with your husband or wife? hardly something that kills you. If you want to live longer, get up off the couch and exercise. I don't think enjoying wine kills people as much as obesity, high-fructose filled little debbie cakes, and sitting on your tail all day. When was the last time that enjoying fine wines with dinner was binge drinking? for real?
The main problems is American's don't have any personal responsibility. You can have a bottle of wine 4 nights a week just fine. ride your bike. Jog. something. Stop eating out of the snack machine. then you can have a beer.
Oh yeah, STOP STRESSING OUT and living your life trying to have some perfect health plan and consuming this much this this much that. that kills you.
Relax, have a home-brew.
What with all the options out there, it's like Alcoholic Pokemon: Gotta Drink 'Em All!!
another idiot trying to tell people how to run their life. i love the US, i served an entire career in the military fighting for freedom. but i now choose to live in europe, because they don't judge everything a person chooses to do. privacy and personal choice are respected far more than in the US. who cares if someone chooses to drink or not, heavy or not. or what they should eat or smoke or whatever. here you can go to a pub and a couple people will be "binging" (& i'm noty talking 4-5 drinks, more like 25-30) and they will be sitting next to and talking to someone drinking coffee. and no body bats an eye. get off your high horse my fellow americans and live life to have fun and respect each othersd choice to live how they choose...
OK – as long as you don't ask me to pay for your Doctor, hospital bills or Campral.
And, despite spending hundreds of millions of dollars trying to outright prohibit marijuana, no one died from pot use alone. I guess we'll keep the booze and stigmatize the weed despite fatality statistics and science and logic in general.
4 drinks a day? 5 drinks a day? 12 drinks a day? Says who? Based on what? Get out of MY home!!!!! And get off the lawn too ....
what r u ...... balony! .... I'l kik your azz!!!! ................. i just had a few .............. bastarr...................................................
This article is extremely stupid.
Phew..I'm just under. Only 4 drinks per day for me. 4 40 Oz. Buds. No binge drinking for me.
I live in NM, so this is hardly news to me. We have one of the highest alcohol and drug abuse rates in The US. And there is nothing humorous about this article/news. We are in a lot of pain - more so since the economic turndown - and it appears the main resource for way too many of us is to numb ourselves out of our misery, which, of course, doesn't work at all in the long run.
I know the state of my personal life created by the state of country was a big factor of my binge drinking. I was unemployeed for quite some time, and not getting any love from my resumes, dealing with financial pressures, and being a prisoner in my own home due to no money caused me to drink more than I should have. While that eased the pressure, I have since found a good job and have been moving away from that lifestyle. I am mainly doing that due to age and the health issues that can happen from binge drinking. I still have way too many things to do to have health problems from binge drinking. Plus the feeling the next day sucks, and I'm sure I stunk...as do all day after binge drinkers...yep that gum don't work!!!
Listen to music these days. It's all about partying and getting drunk. I've wondered if people are partying more because of the songs or if there are more songs about partying because people are partying more. I believe that latter. America has more reasons to want to escape reality. Everything is getting suckier and it doesn't look like it'll get any better before it gets worse. I've already decided that if the world comes to an end Dec 21, I'll be drinking myself into oblivion. Drinking is fun. It makes everything more fun. People just don't know how to do it. They ignore their limits and get sick the next morning that cause them to not go into work and make stupid decisions that cause them to get into trouble. I learned how to drink; a couple vodka and cranberries and 2 or 3 shots and I'm good the whole night. There should be alcohol awareness classes in highschool and the drinking age should be lowered to 19 or 20.
I never get hangovers because I drink slowly. I drink my cran&vod with a shot around 11, have another drink like an hour later. Another shot some time before I finish that drink. Probably have a drink or 2 more depending on if I'm driving. I wake up fine the next day. That's 3-4 drinks from 11pm to 3am. My friends have that many in the first hour and are ready to pass out. I drink that and my buzz lasts me all night.
The only time I get hungover is when I DO binge drink on wine in the house. God it's the worse feeling in the world in the morning but the oblivious drunk feeling is fun. I don't do that anymore.
You need to lose your self control by drinking or you're not happy?
What a sad group of people we are. To force ourselves into over consumption just for the sake of getting drunk. We need to stop thinking that this will somehow change our lives. Nothing changes. Self medicating to feel good does nothing but destroy your life. We are just rats. All you see now are "Happy Hour" signs – everywhere! Some 24hr. a day. Crazy. We need to deal with our stess in a whole new way other than spending our hard earned money by soaking our brains in alcohol.
Agree.....so let's start eliminating the things that stress us.....by any means necessary
Say It Loud, Brother!
but of course the left want to open up mary jane to everyone...just another way "out"...
between alch, weed, smartphones and TV, we are pretty much zombies.
BRAINS!!!!
marijuana legalization is a conservative issue. buckley was spouting it for many years
Hey Teabaggar, you might want to go back to School.
FYI: A sentence starts with a CAPITAL LETTER. How come you missed this Basic Educational ABC concept in 1st grade? Or your Teabag mentally challenged intellect doesn’t go that far? It's 2012 for Christ sake, get it together Teabaggar!
This is one of the things that keeps Pres. Obama's household awake all nights.
Education! Education! Education! Education! You’re making the Pres. Obama's job extremely difficult.
So... People like to drink... To each their own.. The government just wants to control us and tell us what's best for us... Thomas, not everyone goes to bars during happy hour. Some enjoy alcoholic beverages in their homes...
Granted, binge drinking is bad for you, but if the occasional beer buzz can keep me from getting a heart attack or stroke by taking the edge off the workweek grind when it gets too hairy, I'll drink to my health.
i found out i drink to much. i took a urine test, and there was an olive in it
Hey, that was your male testicles you just dropped. You're currently missing one testicle. These testicles always go in pairs. They’re like twins. You can’t leave home without one. Retrieve it before your woman finds out. You don't wanna freak out your woman, do you?
Holla when you do. Will ya?
i got so drunk, i had to go find my car, and take back the one i took
HAVE YOU SEEN THE STATE THE WORLD IS IN? DO YOU SEE WHERE WE'RE HEADING?
I'm thinking of taking up binge drinking as a hobby for THAT reason alone!
This public interest story brought to you by the makers of Crud Lite!
"Crud Lite! Crud Lite! Crud Lite beats a man-sized thirst if your liver doesn't shut down first! Crud Lite! Crud Lite!"
Let's face it.....if booze didn't get you high....you couldn't give it away.....let alone sell it. It's a drug. The young and rich drink to celebrate their good fortune. The old and poor drink to mourn their losses. Now thrown in all the anti-depressants, and other legal 'mood managing' drugs and you have about half the country needing drugs just to get through their day in the 'New America'. I think it is time we start looking at what in our society drives people to drinking and drugs.
What do you expect?
When you have a bunch of mentally challenged, idiotic greedy, fat PIGS holding the progress of this country hostage solely for the hate of a single Blackman as Pres. of US due to the color of his skin and the News Media advancing their causes since that’s how their make their money.
Where’s Bernard Shaw when you needed a real news anchor on CNN to challenge these imbecilic GOP crazies with FACTS and NOT their usual talking points.
I think you posted under the wrong article there, CHE
You should probably stop the binge drinking before posting your idiotic political rant in the wrong article. Although I bet that the current president and moron sheep like you have been the cause of a couple binges
At least I'm not a filthy drunken PIG still in its drunken delusional state?
Wake up idiots, it's time to go to work and dig America out of this mess. Make sure to brush your yellow teethes with Clorox Bleach.
Are you asking me if you are a filthy drunken PIG? The squiggly one with the dot at the bottom is a question mark, typically used for asking questions. Oh and don't worry, my "teethes" are just fine.
I have only 3 drinks a night. 3-fingers each of delicious Johnny Walker Blue. I'm glad to know that I am not on a 12 year binge.
Well if you go out frequently and just have a couple you are increasing your likelihood of getting a DUI/DWI as this country has found out that is a huge moneymaking endeavor. One DUI sustains many jobs and brings in a lot of revenue, from Police, lawyers, other legal workers, probation officers, drug/alcohol counselors, the people that put the breathalyzer on your car so you can continue to have a job after losing your license, etc. If you pick one night and get smashed and either have a driver or roll the dice and drive you have reduced the chance of getting stopped statistically because you are doing it less. I know it sounds stupid, but I guarantee it is at least part of the truth. DUIs are a cash cow for our government and it has enough stigma attached to it that no one is going to champion more lenient laws dealing with it.