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By Kelly Young
Edited by André Sofair, MD, MPH, and William E. Chavey, MD, MS
People who report binge drinking — that is, drinking five or more drinks on one occasion for men and four or more for women — are drinking more, according to an MMWR article.
The CDC looked at self-reported data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to assess binge-drinking trends from 2011 to 2017.
During this time, the overall prevalence of binge drinking decreased from 18.9% to 18.0%. However, among those who binge drank, the total number of binge drinks consumed annually per adult increased 12%.
Both men and women and people aged 35 and older saw significant increases. The sharpest increases occurred among adults without a high school diploma (46% increase) and those with households making less than $25,000. Nine states saw increases in the number of binge drinks — Idaho, Indiana, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, and Virginia.
The authors note that these findings may actually underestimate binge drinking because the information is self-reported.
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LINK(S):
MMWR article (Free)
Background: NEJM Journal Watch Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine coverage of binge drinking among girls and young women (Your NEJM Journal Watch registration required)