Vital Signs: Binge Drinking Prevalence, Frequency, and Intensity Among Adults

United States, 2010

Dafna Kanny, PhD; Yong Liu, MS; Robert D. Brewer, MD; William S. Garvin; Lina Balluz, ScD

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2012;61(1):14-19.

Abstract and Introduction

Abstract

Background: Binge drinking accounts for more than half of the estimated 80,000 average annual deaths and three quarters of $223.5 billion in economic costs resulting from excessive alcohol consumption in the United States.
Methods: CDC analyzed data collected in 2010 on the prevalence of binge drinking (defined as four or more drinks for women and five or more drinks for men on an occasion during the past 30 days) among U.S. adults aged ≥18 years in 48 states and the District of Columbia; and on the frequency (average number of episodes per month) and intensity (average largest number of drinks consumed on occasion) among binge drinkers.
Results: The overall prevalence of binge drinking was 17.1%. Among binge drinkers, the frequency of binge drinking was 4.4 episodes per month, and the intensity was 7.9 drinks on occasion. Binge drinking prevalence (28.2%) and intensity (9.3 drinks) were highest among persons aged 18–24 years. Frequency was highest among binge drinkers aged ≥65 years (5.5 episodes per month). Respondents with household incomes ≥$75,000 had the highest binge drinking prevalence (20.2%), but those with household incomes <$25,000 had the highest frequency (5.0 episodes per month) and intensity (8.5 drinks on occasion). The age-adjusted prevalence of binge drinking in states ranged from 10.9% to 25.6%, and the age-adjusted intensity ranged from 6.0 to 9.0 drinks on occasion.
Conclusions: Binge drinking is reported by one in six U.S. adults, and those who binge drink tend to do so frequently and with high intensity.
Implications for Public Health Practice: More widespread implementation of Community Guide–recommended interventions (e.g., measures controlling access to alcohol and increasing prices) could reduce the frequency, intensity, and ultimately the prevalence of binge drinking, as well as the health and social costs related to it.

Introduction

Excessive alcohol use* accounted for an estimated average of 80,000 deaths and 2.3 million years of potential life lost (YPLL)^† in the United States each year during 2001–2005, and an estimated $223.5 billion in economic costs in 2006.^[1] Binge drinking accounted for more than half of those deaths, two thirds of the YPLL,^[2] and three quarters of the economic costs.^[1] Binge drinking also is a risk factor for many health and social problems, including motor-vehicle crashes, violence, suicide, hypertension, acute myocardial infarction, sexually transmitted diseases, unintended pregnancy, fetal alcohol syndrome, and sudden infant death syndrome.^[3] In 2010, 85% of all alcohol-impaired driving episodes were reported by persons who also reported binge drinking.^[4] In the United States, binge drinking accounts for more than half of the alcohol consumed by adults^[5] and 90% of the alcohol consumed by youths.^[6] However, most binge drinkers are not alcohol dependent.^[7]

Reducing the prevalence of binge drinking among adults is a leading health indicator in Healthy People 2020 (objective SA-14.3).^[8] To assess measures of binge drinking nationwide and by state, CDC analyzed developmental data^§ from the 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) on the prevalence of binge drinking among adults, and on the frequency and intensity of drinking among respondents who reported binge drinking.

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Next Section

* Excessive alcohol use includes binge drinking (defined by CDC as consuming four or more drinks per occasion for women or five or more drinks per occasion for men), heavy drinking (defined as consuming more than one drink per day on average for women or more than two drinks per day on average for men), any alcohol consumption by pregnant women, and any alcohol consumption by youths aged <21 years.
^† YPLL for 2001–2005 were estimated using the Alcohol-Related Disease Impact (ARDI) application using death and life expectancy data from the National Vital Statistics System. Additional information is available at https://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/dach_ardi/default/default.aspx.
^§ The 2010 BRFSS developmental dataset included combined landline and cellular telephone–only adults and used the raking method for weighting.

Table 1. Binge drinking prevalence, frequency, and intensity among adults, by sociodemographic characteristics — Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System combined landline and cellular telephone developmental dataset, United States,* 2010
Characteristic	Prevalence			Frequency^†			Intensity^§
Characteristic	No.	Weighted %	(95% CI^¶)	No.	No. of episodes	(95% CI)	No.	No. of drinks	(95% CI)
Total	457,677	17.1	(16.8–17.4)	52,329	4.4	(4.3– 4.5)	48,683	7.9	(7.8– 8.1)
Sex
Male	176,911	23.2	(22.6–23.7)	30,511	5.0	(4.8– 5.1)	28,192	9.0	(8.8– 9.2)
Female	280,766	11.4	(11.1–11.8)	21,818	3.2	(3.1– 3.4)	20,491	5.9	(5.8– 6.0)
Age group (yrs)
18–24	18,087	28.2	(26.9–29.5)	4,688	4.2	(4.0– 4.5)	4,358	9.3	(8.9– 9.7)
25–34	42,767	27.9	(26.9–29.0)	9,900	4.2	(3.9– 4.4)	9,290	8.4	(8.1– 8.6)
35–44	61,216	19.2	(18.4–19.9)	10,902	4.1	(3.9– 4.4)	10,259	7.6	(7.3– 8.0)
45–64	187,127	13.3	(12.9–13.6)	21,720	4.7	(4.5– 4.9)	20,219	6.8	(6.7– 7.0)
≥65	144,645	3.8	(3.5– 4.0)	4,925	5.5	(4.8– 6.2)	4,403	5.7	(5.5– 6.0)
Race/Ethnicity
White, non-Hispanic	359,123	18.0	(17.7–18.4)	42,258	4.4	(4.3– 4.5)	39,514	7.9	(7.7– 8.0)
Black, non-Hispanic	36,275	12.7	(11.7–13.6)	2,920	4.7	(4.1– 5.3)	2,595	6.8	(6.3– 7.4)
Hispanic	31,061	17.9	(16.6–19.1)	3,826	3.8	(3.4– 4.2)	3,525	8.4	(7.8– 9.0)
Other, non-Hispanic	25,137	15.3	(13.8–16.8)	2,881	4.7	(4.2– 5.3)	2,671	8.7	(8.0– 9.4)
Education level
Less than high school diploma	42,359	13.7	(12.8–14.6)	3,574	5.5	(5.0– 6.0)	3,177	9.3	(8.7– 9.9)
High school diploma	135,634	17.6	(17.0–18.1)	15,111	4.7	(4.5– 4.9)	13,864	8.2	(8.0– 8.4)
Some college	123,093	19.0	(18.4–19.6)	14,795	4.1	(4.0– 4.3)	13,767	7.6	(7.5– 7.8)
College graduate	155,652	18.2	(17.7–18.7)	18,805	3.4	(3.3– 3.5)	17,843	6.9	(6.7– 7.0)
Income
<$25,000	119,988	16.2	(15.5–16.9)	10,795	5.0	(4.7– 5.3)	9,880	8.5	(8.2– 8.9)
$25,000–$49,999	108,542	17.9	(17.2–18.5)	12,316	4.2	(4.0– 4.4)	11,446	7.9	(7.6– 8.1)
$50,000–$74,999	62,539	18.9	(18.1–19.7)	8,484	4.4	(4.1– 4.7)	8,058	7.9	(7.6– 8.2)
≥$75,000	105,280	20.2	(19.7–20.8)	16,665	3.7	(3.6– 3.9)	15,849	7.2	(7.0– 7.3)

* Respondents were from 48 states (excluding South Dakota and Tennessee) and the District of Columbia.
^† Binge drinkers only; average number of binge-drinking episodes per month.
^§ Average largest number of drinks consumed by binge drinkers on any occasion in the past month.
^¶ CI = confidence interval.

Table 2. Age-adjusted* binge drinking prevalence, frequency, and intensity among adults, by state — Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System combined landline and cellular telephone developmental dataset, United States, ^† 2010
State/Area	Prevalence			Frequency^§			Intensity^¶
State/Area	No.	Weighted %	(95% CI**)	No.	No. of episodes	(95% CI)	No.	No. of drinks	(95% CI)
Alabama	7,848	13.3	(11.7–15.0)	537	4.9	(3.7– 6.1)	480	6.9	(6.4– 7.5)
Alaska	2,009	21.2	(18.1–24.4)	335	4.0	(3.2– 4.8)	304	6.8	(6.1– 7.5)
Arizona	6,240	18.6	(16.0–21.1)	681	4.2	(3.6– 4.8)	640	7.8	(7.0– 8.5)
Arkansas	4,201	11.8	(9.7–13.9)	297	5.2	(4.0– 6.3)	267	7.7	(6.8– 8.5)
California	17,233	16.5	(15.1–17.8)	2,044	4.2	(3.5– 4.8)	1,997	7.0	(6.5– 7.5)
Colorado	11,417	17.9	(16.2–19.6)	1,311	4.5	(3.7– 5.2)	1,229	7.0	(6.5– 7.4)
Connecticut	7,608	18.1	(16.5–19.7)	962	3.9	(3.3– 4.6)	899	7.1	(6.6– 7.5)
Delaware	4,555	19.5	(17.5–21.5)	606	4.4	(3.8– 5.1)	569	7.4	(6.8– 8.0)
District of Columbia	3,997	21.9	(18.7–25.1)	548	4.1	(3.0– 5.3)	517	6.0	(5.6– 6.5)
Florida	37,610	16.7	(15.7–17.6)	4,002	4.6	(4.2– 4.9)	3,717	7.3	(7.0– 7.6)
Georgia	5,840	15.4	(13.4–17.4)	510	4.7	(3.8– 5.5)	465	7.3	(6.8– 7.9)
Hawaii	7,280	19.1	(17.4–20.9)	1,066	5.3	(4.6– 6.0)	1,033	8.7	(7.8– 9.6)
Idaho	7,239	15.2	(13.2–17.2)	701	5.2	(4.3– 6.2)	645	7.6	(7.0– 8.2)
Illinois	5,558	21.4	(19.4–23.4)	856	4.5	(3.9– 5.1)	843	6.9	(6.6– 7.3)
Indiana	10,452	16.5	(14.9–18.1)	1,081	4.6	(4.0– 5.2)	994	8.1	(7.3– 8.9)
Iowa	6,562	21.5	(19.7–23.3)	900	5.3	(4.1– 6.6)	826	8.0	(7.6– 8.4)
Kansas	9,357	17.6	(16.2–19.0)	1,027	4.6	(3.8– 5.4)	934	7.0	(6.7– 7.4)
Kentucky	8,387	15.0	(13.4–16.7)	684	5.9	(4.8– 7.0)	638	8.4	(7.7– 9.0)
Louisiana	7,173	16.4	(14.6–18.2)	782	4.6	(4.0– 5.3)	719	8.5	(7.2– 9.8)
Maine	8,346	19.7	(18.1–21.3)	983	5.4	(4.6– 6.1)	935	7.9	(7.4– 8.4)
Maryland	9,152	17.1	(15.3–18.9)	1,020	4.7	(3.6– 5.9)	945	6.8	(6.4– 7.2)
Massachusetts	15,690	21.7	(20.1–23.2)	2,153	5.0	(4.2– 5.7)	1,965	7.6	(7.0– 8.1)
Michigan	9,361	17.7	(16.3–19.2)	1,128	4.4	(3.8– 5.0)	1,082	7.0	(6.7– 7.4)
Minnesota	12,649	20.1	(18.8–21.3)	2,135	3.7	(3.3– 4.1)	1,973	7.4	(7.1– 7.7)
Mississippi	8,850	12.1	(10.8–13.5)	583	4.9	(4.0– 5.9)	521	8.1	(7.5– 8.7)
Missouri	5,837	17.4	(15.5–19.3)	693	5.2	(4.4– 6.0)	650	8.1	(7.5– 8.7)
Montana	8,007	21.5	(19.9–23.1)	1,194	3.9	(3.4– 4.4)	1,127	7.7	(7.3– 8.1)
Nebraska	17,389	22.3	(20.8–23.9)	2,394	4.2	(3.8– 4.6)	2,264	7.8	(7.4– 8.1)
Nevada	4,274	17.4	(15.0–19.8)	619	4.6	(3.6– 5.6)	564	7.8	(7.1– 8.6)
New Hampshire	6,195	18.2	(16.4–20.0)	701	5.7	(4.8– 6.5)	675	7.4	(6.7– 8.1)
New Jersey	11,855	15.7	(14.1–17.2)	1,414	3.6	(3.2– 4.1)	1,244	6.8	(6.5– 7.2)
New Mexico	7,352	14.2	(12.7–15.8)	627	4.6	(3.8– 5.4)	587	7.9	(7.0– 8.7)
New York	8,948	18.3	(16.8–19.7)	1,088	4.1	(3.5– 4.6)	1,016	7.0	(6.6– 7.3)
North Carolina	12,218	14.7	(12.8–16.5)	1,026	4.4	(3.7– 5.1)	943	7.4	(6.7– 8.0)
North Dakota	4,872	21.9	(19.3–24.4)	713	4.2	(3.5– 4.9)	670	8.3	(7.6– 9.1)
Ohio	10,705	19.8	(18.4–21.2)	1,359	5.4	(4.3– 6.6)	1,244	7.8	(7.4– 8.2)
Oklahoma	8,256	14.9	(13.3–16.5)	738	5.6	(4.4– 6.9)	676	7.8	(7.2– 8.4)
Oregon	5,343	17.9	(16.0–19.8)	606	4.5	(3.8– 5.3)	579	6.8	(6.3– 7.4)
Pennsylvania	11,768	19.3	(18.0–20.6)	1,467	4.4	(4.0– 4.9)	1,346	7.4	(7.1– 7.8)
Rhode Island	7,160	18.2	(16.8–19.7)	923	4.9	(4.3– 5.6)	878	7.2	(6.6– 7.7)
South Carolina	9,818	15.7	(14.1–17.3)	880	5.1	(4.3– 6.0)	804	7.9	(7.3– 8.4)
Texas	18,257	17.3	(15.6–19.0)	1,859	4.9	(4.3– 5.5)	1,706	7.7	(7.2– 8.3)
Utah	11,986	10.9	(9.8–12.0)	1,030	4.9	(4.2– 5.5)	934	7.9	(7.4– 8.4)
Vermont	7,046	20.2	(18.5–21.8)	908	4.7	(4.0– 5.4)	854	7.1	(6.7– 7.4)
Virginia	5,855	17.7	(16.0–19.4)	702	5.1	(4.1– 6.0)	633	7.2	(6.6– 7.8)
Washington	19,974	18.2	(17.1–19.3)	2,352	4.1	(3.7– 4.6)	2,202	6.9	(6.7– 7.2)
West Virginia	4,883	10.9	(9.4–12.5)	327	4.9	(4.0– 5.8)	313	8.7	(7.8– 9.5)
Wisconsin	4,965	25.6	(22.8–28.4)	882	4.8	(3.8– 5.7)	849	9.0	(7.6–10.5)
Wyoming	6,265	16.9	(15.3–18.5)	701	4.4	(3.7– 5.0)	634	7.7	(6.8– 8.5)

* Age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. Census standard population.
^† Respondents were from 48 states (excluding South Dakota and Tennessee) and the District of Columbia.
^§ Binge drinkers only; average number of binge-drinking episodes per month.
^¶ Average largest number of drinks consumed by binge drinkers on any occasion in the past month.
** CI = confidence interval.

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