Over 16% of American Adults Binge Drink

(Summer 2018) Research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that approximately 37 million American adults binge drink once per week, downing about seven drinks during each binge. For males, binge drinking occurs when consuming five or more drinks per sitting; for females, it is four or more drinks in one sitting. The CDC calculates that adult Americans imbibed over 17 billion binge drinks in 2015 alone. Binge drinking escalates the risk of harm to both the drinker and others as well; the study estimates over 44,000 American lives are lost each year due to this habit.

CDC researchers found that patterns of binge drinking in one’s teen and young adult years can continue for some into adulthood and develop into alcohol dependency.

Additionally, the research data shows that binge drinking is not isolated to any particular demographic. It is found more often among educated, affluent Americans. However, the yearly total of binge drinks consumed per binge drinker tends to be significantly greater among individuals with lower socioeconomic status.

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