Health

CDC Report: College Kids Average 9 Drinks in Binging Sessions

CDC Report Reveals 9 Drinks in BingingATLANTA (The Blaze/AP) — College-age drinkers average nine drinks when they get drunk, government health officials said Tuesday.

That surprising statistic is part of a new report highlighting the dangers of binge drinking, which usually means four to five drinks at a time.

Overall, about 1 in 6 U.S. adults surveyed said they had binged on alcohol at least once in the previous month, though it was more than 1 in 4 for those ages 18 to 34.

And that’s likely an underestimate: Alcohol sales figures suggest people are buying a lot more alcohol than they say they are consuming. Health officials estimate that about half of the beer, wine and liquor consumed in the United States by adults each year is downed during binge drinking.

“I know this sounds astounding, but I think the numbers we’re reporting are really an underestimate,” said Dr. Robert Brewer, who leads the alcohol program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC report is based on telephone surveys last year of more than 450,000 adults. They were asked about their alcohol drinking in the past month, including the largest number of drinks they had at one time.

Binge drinking is generally defined as four drinks for women and five for men in a period of a few hours. Binge drinkers ages 18 to 24 reported nine drinks, or one more than the national average of eight drinks.

But those numbers are likely averages for all episodes of binge drinking, Brewer said, citing other studies.

The number of drinks per binge went down with age, to less than six for those ages 65 and older.

Binge drinking may be considered socially acceptable – to many, a fun night out at the bar. And many don’t see it as a sign of a serious drinking problem. Indeed, experts say fewer than 20 percent of binge drinkers would be medically diagnosed as alcoholics.

But health officials say binge drinking accounts for more than 40,000 deaths each year. It contributes to problems like violence and drunk-driving accidents and longer-term issues like cancer, heart disease and liver failure.

Other findings of the report:

-Binge drinking continues to be most common in men, people who have been to college, and those with incomes of $75,000 or more.

-Only about 4 percent of people 65 and older binge drink, far fewer than adults in other age groups. But they do it more often – five times a month, on average. Younger adults average closer to four episodes per month.

-The upper Midwest continues to report the highest prevalence of binge drinking. Wisconsin topped the list in 2010 with nearly 26 percent of adults saying they had at least one binge drinking episode in the previous month. West Virginia, at just under 11 percent, was at the other end of the spectrum.

Comments (43)

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  • RavenGlenn
    Posted on January 11, 2012 at 1:31pm

    Really? We pay them for this crap?

    THIS JUST IN: People drink a lot of beer when they want to get drunk!

    Report Post »  
    • the hawk
      Posted on January 11, 2012 at 3:40pm

      If Mary-Jane WAS leagel they’d smoke a jiont or two and ly on their couches ordering pizza and laughing their buts of to family guy!

      Report Post »  
  • AmericanStrega
    Posted on January 11, 2012 at 12:58pm

    My husband and I are functioning alcoholics. We drink a minimum of 6 drinks/day each. We do not go to bars. We purchase our booze, take it home and imbibe. We do not have children (by choice). We do not miss work because of our alcohol intake. We pay for our own insurance and seldom use it. We are happy productive Americans that enjoy our lives. We do not get drunk. We do not argue or fight (let me qualify that. In 18 years we’ve had two fights. We had not been drinking during these “fights”.) So after this little confession, I have to ask, what is wrong with drinking? If a person can drink and be responsible for themselves, I don’t see a problem. The problem I see is people cannot be responsible for their own lives. I think if a person gets drunk and drives, they should be beaten bloody with a board that has a rusty nail sticking out of it. If a person cannot take responsibility for themselves they have no business even breathing air.

    Report Post »  
    • AmazingGrace8
      Posted on January 11, 2012 at 1:28pm

      My sister and husband do about the same and their friends too. They watch out for each other as far as not driving after drinking etc.. Not my bag, but love my sis and sis has been married over 50 years and share same life-style as her husband. Years ago, dated a fellow that was drinking alot and I did mention to him (I had a real smart-aleck mouth at the time) “have another drink..it improves your personality”. His comeback,”YOU have a problem with my drinking..I DON’T have a problem with my drinking”. Well said, and I moved on in my life without his companionship.

      Report Post »  
  • reddreads
    Posted on January 11, 2012 at 12:23pm

    I have long thought the definition for binge drinking was stupid. It doesn’t take into account other factors like length of time of a sitting, body weight, whether you’re eating, etc. If I drink a pitcher of beer during a football game, according to the CDC that is binge drinking. Nevermind that it took me nearly 4 hours to drink it (about a pint an hour) and that I probably was snacking as well. After that long I’m not even buzzed. The defintion needs to be modified to include other factors besides number of drinks consumed “in one sitting” is all I’m saying.

    Report Post »  
  • single stack
    Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:17am

    This is a joke, right? 4 or 5 drinks is not a binge it’s a warmup. A binge is when you stay drunk for 3 days.

    Report Post »  
    • rabblechat
      Posted on January 11, 2012 at 12:06pm

      The CDC obviously has never surveyed a Marine or Navy Barracks on the weekend…
      I though college kids could drink.

      Report Post » rabblechat  
  • Francisco_d
    Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:13am

    “The CDC report is based on telephone surveys last year of more than 450,000 adults. They were asked about their alcohol drinking in the past month, including the largest number of drinks they had at one time.”

    “Hello, this is the government. How much do you drink when you binge?”
    Me: “A heck of a lot less than you spend when you do, and I’m the one that pays the consequence either way.”

    Report Post »  
  • ThoreauHD
    Posted on January 11, 2012 at 8:55am

    Why is it our business how much people drink. It’s none of my business if they jump off a cliff, or an airplane, so why this?

    Report Post » ThoreauHD  
  • SamIamTwo
    Posted on January 11, 2012 at 8:39am

    I hear the CDC binge drank with them to come up with the 9 drink thingie, so it must be true. lol

    Report Post » SamIamTwo  
  • txn4justice
    Posted on January 11, 2012 at 8:10am

    Sorry folks, this is not new information. Can‘t the CDC think of something else to do a study on that might have a better impact on the public’s health.

    News flash for the CDC: highschool kids do the same thing and so do junior high kids.

    Oh yeah and they smoke dope too!

    Report Post »  
  • BubbaN
    Posted on January 11, 2012 at 8:10am

    The CDC found that more than 38 million Americans binge drink four times a month—consuming an average of eight drinks each time.
    Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/01/10/cdc-report-binge-drinking-rates-in-us-alarming/?test=latestnews#ixzz1j9aU7jN1

    It‘s not binge drinking it’s called killing the pain. The pain that my wife and I just worked 40 + hours during the week and a large amount of that is going to taxes that go somewhere. I don’ t know where they go, I do know know I’m not benefiting from paying in. Food cost more, gas cost more, heating oil!etc
    Where are my entitlements for slaving my existence away. Oh wait I’m the middle class I have to help OWS and the people that get to sleep in everyday.

    Report Post » BubbaN  
  • liberalismisadisorder
    Posted on January 11, 2012 at 6:35am

    only 9 drinks? they probably didn’t survey anyone in a fraternity.

    Report Post » liberalismisadisorder  
    • smithclar3nc3
      Posted on January 11, 2012 at 8:04am

      Really he77 9 beers is sunday afternoon watch the game….biingers don’t start until you hit 15 beers.

      Report Post »  
  • scrapadapolis
    Posted on January 11, 2012 at 3:52am

    Ok I drink A 12 pack everyday.and post stupid things on the Blaze,And when I drink I can feel like a consertive, when im sober I feel like a democrat.So I keep drinking

    Report Post » scrapadapolis  
  • paperpushermj
    Posted on January 11, 2012 at 2:42am

    Just Nine. Wait until this kids start working for a Living.

    Report Post » paperpushermj  
  • SpankDaMonkey
    Posted on January 10, 2012 at 11:41pm

    .
    9 Drinks? Little dogs need to stay on the porch!!! 9 Drinks, freakin light weights……..

    Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
    • netmail
      Posted on January 11, 2012 at 12:32am

      Yeah, the election coverage doesn’t even start to get good until about the 9th drink.

      Report Post »  
  • COFemale
    Posted on January 10, 2012 at 10:48pm

    I’m 60 and I think I had about six drinks all of last year. When I was younger I drank 2-3 drinks when I went out, once in a blue moon I did get drunk, once in a blue moon I had to pray to the porcelain god. Now that I am older and wiser, drinking isn’t a big deal.

    Report Post » COFemale  
    • lukerw
      Posted on January 11, 2012 at 4:43am

      I’m 70… and never have been on Binge… but could 12 or more Black Russians every other night — One tastes good, Two better….

      Individuals… are unique!

      Report Post » lukerw  
    • 4xeverything
      Posted on January 11, 2012 at 5:33am

      @LUKERW

      I uniquely agree.

      Report Post » 4xeverything  
  • garyM
    Posted on January 10, 2012 at 9:57pm

    If you took a poll at the bar, about 90% of the college kids are democrats!

    Report Post »  
    • MammalOne
      Posted on January 10, 2012 at 10:13pm

      And you’d also find out that 90% of them don’t vote. Come on, don’t make this whole thing about Democrats or Republicans. What a joke, grow up.

      Report Post » MammalOne  
  • possom
    Posted on January 10, 2012 at 9:23pm

    yep!

    Report Post » possom  
  • TRILO
    Posted on January 10, 2012 at 8:23pm

    Forgot to say that on the news the CDC considers 4 drinks in one setting as binge drinking. Just to clarify my opinion from my previous post.

    I fully agree that underage kids should not be drinking….period!

    Report Post » TRILO  
    • foobear
      Posted on January 11, 2012 at 6:29am

      4 for women, 5 for men/

      Note that saying that “when they binge, they drink 9 drinks”, this means *when they are drinking 5 or more drinks* they average 9 drinks.

      Very, very different from saying the average amount drunk.

      Bad study.

      Report Post » foobear  
  • TRILO
    Posted on January 10, 2012 at 8:19pm

    Government get out of our lives!!! I heard this on the news and a CDC representative said that people surveyed must not be telling the truth because of the amount of alcohol sold in this country. The government tells us what is ok to eat and drink and how much we should have. Here is some news…. people get sick and people die. I know it is hard to believe. There is inherent risk in everything. I ride horses and bikes (without a helmet), I have skydived, bungy jumped, driven race cars, rode in the back of a pick up truck, I eat red meat, butter, eggs and my gosh I have a glass of wine each and every day of the week with my dinner. Sometimes I will even have two… oh, my goodness sometimes over the course of an evening out with friends I may have more than two, then get a ride home. I have -0- health issues. So government quit telling me what is bad for me and trying to regulate every aspect of my life. .

    Too bad the government does not go after the big pharma companies for poisoning people because they have convinced everyone that they need a pill to solve every little problem that comes along. No they want to go after natural remedies instead. Ever noticed that the side effects are worse than the underlying problem? Too bad the government does not go after all the pesticide companies that are polluting our creeks and streams and the food that we eat. Oh, that is right… they are all big political donors.

    Report Post » TRILO  
    • gosutag
      Posted on January 10, 2012 at 8:24pm

      Well, the government doesn’t have to do a survey to get into your life. You just gave a layout of what you eat and drink. Survey complete!

      Report Post » gosutag  
    • redacted
      Posted on January 11, 2012 at 4:48pm

      Thank you! My wife and I drink plenty, do it responsibly, but now are being way more careful about how we pay for it. Call me paranoid, but the recent developments in the past few years that have the goverment getting their hands on ALL of our records, from our medical records to credit cards to our Internet activities has us paying CASH for what we do that some gov’t “official” might hold against us. Once Obamacare is fully inplemented, what are the chances that a “drinker” will be held in the same regard as a non-drinker for rationed medical services under the “Perfect Lives” system of apportionment? I’m betting slim and none.

      Pay CASH at the liquor store, and don’t use their little worthless “discount” cards that track your purchases either (called an ABC Card in Florida).

      I’ll keep clinging to my God, guns, and gin.

      Report Post » redacted  
  • Atlappraiser
    Posted on January 10, 2012 at 8:00pm

    It‘s a surprise they aren’t smart enough to realize that the majority of the people polled are liars. Almost everyone I know binge drinks atleast once or twice a week.

    Report Post »  
  • Slayer
    Posted on January 10, 2012 at 7:56pm

    We’re PAYING the CDC to come up with nonsense stats like this? Um, did anyone here EVER go to a party when they were young, attend college, stop by a frathouse on the weekend or hang out in a bar once in a while?

    Report Post » Slayer  
  • brother_ed
    Posted on January 10, 2012 at 7:50pm

    Alcohol is a poison and should not be introduced into the body.

    I don’t think it should be outlawed, but a wise person would abstain.

    Report Post » brother_ed  
  • Therightsofbilly
    Posted on January 10, 2012 at 7:47pm

    Wisconsin, Ha

    Not surprising.

    Report Post » Therightsofbilly  
  • dmerwin
    Posted on January 10, 2012 at 7:46pm

    Light weights.

    Report Post » dmerwin  
  • Locked
    Posted on January 10, 2012 at 7:43pm

    ” College-age drinkers average nine drinks when they get drunk, government health officials said Tuesday.

    That surprising statistic is part of a new report highlighting the dangers of binge drinking, which usually means four to five drinks at a time.”

    Well, it might be a surprising statistic if you’ve never been to a college campus on a weekend or a game day…

    Report Post »  
  • oldguy49
    Posted on January 10, 2012 at 7:37pm

    another waste of taxe payers money

    Report Post »  
    • SoiledDove
      Posted on January 10, 2012 at 7:48pm

      Yeah! Why study something that takes the life of 40,000 Americans every year? Turning a blind eye to the problem works just as well.

      Report Post »  
    • Steverino
      Posted on January 10, 2012 at 8:35pm

      The problem with these studies is that they often lead to more government intrusion in our liberty and privacy. People know what‘s bad for them and what’s dangerous. To quantify it accurately is impossible if it is perceived as any kind of “taboo”.
      Steve

      Report Post »  
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