The 2011 statistics on alcohol use and abuse in the United States courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) came out at the end of 2013, and experts are debating how best to address the consequences of the obvious binge drinking problem that is an ongoing plague for the country as a result.
What did they discover? Below are some of the binge drinking stats and facts culled from the 2011 CDC study:
- Binge drinking among adults across the country was at 18.4 percent.
- An average of 4.1 binge drinking sessions per month were reported with an average of 7.7 drinks per episode.
- An estimated 30 percent of those in the 18-to-24-year-old age group and about 29.7 percent of the 25-to-34-year-old age group were regular binge drinkers. These were the highest rates among age groups in the country.
- The frequency of binge drinking was highest among those over the age of 65 at an estimated 4.9 binge drinking sessions per month.
- The ethnic group with the highest rates of binge drinking was non-Hispanic Caucasians; an estimated 21 percent were binge drinkers.
- Intensity of binge drinking was highest among Native Americans at 8.4 drinks on average per binge drinking session.
- Higher rates of binge drinking (22.2 percent) were found in households where the annual income exceeded $75,000. On the other hand, it was also found that higher intensity of binge drinking (more than seven drinks per episode) and more frequent binge drinking episodes (4.3 session per month) were found among households where the annual income did not exceed $25,000.
- Only 16.8 percent of those who did not graduate from high school reported binge drinking behaviors, a lower rate of binge drinking as compared to those with high school and/or higher education degrees. However, those who did binge drink among those without high school degrees did so with higher intensity at 7.4 drinks per binge drinking session and higher frequency at an average of 4.7 binge drinking session per month as compared to those with degrees.
- Binge drinking was less of an issue among those who were disabled as compared to the general public but among the 16.9 percent who did binge drink, they tended to do so at a higher rate (4.5 sessions per month) and intensity (7.2 drinks per session) as compared to binge drinkers without disabilities.
Helping Your Loved One Combat Binge Drinking
The bottom line is that binge drinking is exceedingly common in the United States, and it’s not just an issue that strikes those in college or young adults looking for a way to unwind on the weekend. It’s an issue that is affecting every group in the country, and families are suffering as a result.
If your loved one is struggling due to binge drinking, help is available here at Axis. Contact us today at the phone number listed above.
