The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cited a behavior risk survey of 16,000 students ages 14-18. Binge drinking was defined as having five or more drinks in the span of a few hours.
“Binge drinking increases many health risks, including fatal car crashes, contracting a sexually transmitted disease, dating violence and drug overdoses,” said Dr. Thomas Frieden, the CDC director.
The CDC, which also studied 2009 nationwide telephone surveys of adults, found:
• Binge drinking varies widely from state to state. Tennessee had the lowest rate, 6.8 percent, while Wisconsin had the highest, 23.9 percent.
• From 1993 to 2009, binge drinking decreased among high school boys but stayed the same among high school girls and adults in general.
• People with annual household incomes of $75,000 or more are more likely to binge drink (19.3 percent).
Dr. Robert Brewer, the CDC’s alcohol program leader, said, “States and communities need to consider further strategies to create an environment that discourages binge drinking.”
Read article online here.
