Binge Drinking

National Statistics About Binge Drinking

• More than 38 million adults binge drink about four times monthly, with eight being the average number of drinks consumed in one circumstance.
• There are more binge drinkers between the ages of 18-34 than any other age group.
• Adults ages 65+ binge drink the most often.
• Income group with most binge drinkers: $75,000+
• Income group that binge drinks the most often and drinks the most per binge: less than $25,000.
• Most alcohol-impaired drivers binge drink.
• Most people who binge drink are not alcohol dependent or alcoholics.
• More than half of the alcohol adults drink is consumed while binge drinking.
• More than 90% of the alcohol youth drink is consumed while binge drinking.

Binge Drinking in Weld County

• More than 27% of Weld County high school students binge drank by consuming 5 or more alcoholic beverages per occasion. This included 24.7% females and 29.5% males.
• In Weld County, more Hispanic/Latino high school students (31.2%) than non-Hispanic White high school students (24.5%) binge drank in 2010.
• More Hispanic/Latino females (27.6%)in Weld County binge drank than Non-Hispanic White females (22.3%). Also, more Hispanic/Latino males (34.6%) binge drank than non-Hispanic White males (26.3%).
• Research shows that binge drinking in the past 30 days for adolescents typically increases with age. According to the 2010 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey, 20.3% of students in Grade 9 as compared to 42.0% in Grade 12 binge drank.
• More students perceive that students are binge drinking than actually are. Among Weld County high school students, 68.3% believe a “typical” student at their school binge drank in the past 30 days. However, the actual percentage is much less than that—only 27.1%.
• “Everybody” isn’t binge drinking, and it’s important to get the word out!

The Centers for Disease Control estimate that nearly 38 million or one out of every six Americans have participated in binge drinking. In the Jan. 10 issue of the CDC journal Vital Signs researchers surveyed 458,000 Americans who were 18 and older, asking them how much they had to drink in the past 30 days. The age group with most binge drinkers is 18-34 years.

(CBS) Is drinking America’s favorite pastime?

In a previous study by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, researchers reported that 29.8% of those 12 and older reported binge drinking in the past month.
- National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2008-2009

Important Facts About Binge Drinking

• Teens who are binge drinkers during adolescence are more likely to be binge
  drinkers in early adulthood.*
• In Colorado, 25.1% of high school students reported binge drinking in 2009.
• More girls in Colorado (27%) binge drink in Colorado than do boys (23%).**

*National Longitudinal Survey of Youth
** the 2010 Colorado Health Report Card

Binge Drinking and Teens: A Dangerous Combination

Drinking large amounts of alcohol (four of five drinks) in a short period of time is known as binge drinking. In Weld County, more and more teens are playing drinking games or daring each other to drink a lot at one time. The fact that more and more alcoholic beverages taste sweet these days is making it easier for pre teens and teens to drink in large quantities. This is extremely dangerous, because binge drinking can result in alcohol poisoning.

Binge Drinking Can Lead to Alcohol Poisoning

You read about it in the news more often, it seems: a young person is at a party, has too much to drink, and ends up dying from alcohol poisoning. Their friends are stunned, their families are devastated and the community is outraged. That’s why it’s so important to talk to your pre teen or teen about the dangers of binge drinking and alcohol poisoning.

• The first symptom of alcohol poisoning is usually violent vomiting.
• When teens over drink, it can result in a sleepy feeling, or even unconsciousness.
• Binge drinkers can experience difficulty in breathing or even have a seizure.
• Alcohol poisoning can create dangerously low blood sugar levels.
• In extreme situations, alcohol poisoning can cause death.