Binge Drinking Statistics & Long-Term Side Effects
Binge drinking has many effects on your body, both over the short and long term. Read on to find out all the details.
1 in 4 adults who binge drink in the United States will consume at least 8 drinks in a single episode of binge drinking.
17 billion binge drinks are consumed by adults who binge drink in the United States each year.
Almost all adults who binge drink in the United States also report drinking heavily on other occasions.
Binge drinking is estimated to cost more than $249 billion in the United States.
Excessive costs as a result of drinking include people who are finding it harder to do their best at work.
Excessive costs as a result of drinking include people who will need to have more help from the healthcare system as a result of their drinking.
Excessive alcohol use as a result of binge drinking is estimated to cost states more than 192 billion.
The loss of workplace productivity is cited as the area most impacted by binge drinking in the United States.
In 2019, 25.8% of people ages 18 and older reported that they engaged in binge drinking in the past month.
The loss of workplace productivity is considered to be 72% of the costs of binge drinking in the United States.
Healthcare expenses as a result of excess drinking are considered to account for 11% of the total costs of binge drinking in the United States.
Law enforcement and other types of expenses related to the criminal justice system such as the need to lock people up who are drunk as a result of excess drinking are considered to account for 10% pf the total costs of binge drinking in the United States.
Motor vehicle crashes as a result of binge drinking are considered to account for 5% of all the costs that are imposed on the United States a result of such behaviors.
Experts who study the subject closely consider the amount of binge drinking that happens in the United States to be underreported by at least 10 to 20% in any given year.
What Is Binge Drinking?
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism or the NIAAA has defines the term binge drinking to mean that someone has pattern of drinking too much in a certain period of time. This type of drinking is one that is defined as having a blood alcohol concentration that is 0.08 grams per deciliter or above.
Men who consume 5 or more drinks in a two hour period or a shorter time frame are considered to be binge drinkers.
Women who consume 4 or more drinks in a two hour period or a shorter time frame are considered to be binge drinkers.
People can be considered binge drinkers if they binge drink for a short period of time and then do not drink for a much longer period of time.
The majority of people who are considered binge drinkers report they have binge drunk more than one in the last month.
Not everyone who suffers from alcoholism can be considered a binge drinker.
People who are alcoholics can drink to excess over a period of weeks and months rather than drinking during a single time frame.
Many people who binge drink may be able to abstain from drinking at all on other occasions even when they are near alcohol or around other people who are drinking at a given time.
Many people are not aware they are binge drinking. Many people find it hard to keep track of the number of drinks they are consuming over a period of time.
Many people are not aware of the fact that a standard drink is considered one that has 12 ounces of beer.
Many people are not aware of the fact that a standard drink is considered one that has 5 ounces of wine.
Many people are not aware of the fact that a standard drink is considered one that has 1.5 ounces of hard liquor.
Reasons for Binge Drinking
24% of all people who binge drink cited curiosity as one of the reasons why they chose to binge drink.
56% of all people who binge drink binge drink because they are with friends at the time.
20% of all people who binge drink binge drink because they are with family at the time they binge drink.
62% of all Americans who binge drink binge drink because they have a close partner or significant other who chooses to binge drink.
35% of all Americans who binge drink report they choose to binge drink because it helps them relieve feelings of stress.
5% of all Americans who binge drink report at least one episode of binge drinking right before they get behind the wheel.
How Common is Binge Drinking?
Binge drinking is more common in people in the United States who have higher than average incomes.
Binge drinking is more common among white Americans.
About 1 in 3 of all Americans engage in some form of binge drinking.
25.8% of all American adults have at least one episode of binge drinking in any given month.
32% of all Americans who had attempted to quit drinking report they are drinking at least 5 or more days a month.
Binge Drinking Statistics by Age
American adults over the age of 65 are the least likely of all age groups to be being drinkers.
The highest rates of binge drinking are seen in men who live in the Midwest and have incomes that are above $75,000 a year.
14% of all American teens in 9th to 12th grade admit to binge drinking at least once.
25% of all Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 admit to binge drinking at least once.
21% of all Americans between the ages of 25 and 34 admit to binge drinking at least once.
20% of all Americans between the ages of 35 and 44 admit to binge drinking at least once.
14% of all Americans between the ages of 45 and 64 admit to binge drinking at least once.
5% of all Americans who are older than 65 admit to binge drinking at least once.
Binge Drinking Statistics by Gender
29.7% of all American men state they have at least one binge drinking episode each month.
22.2% of all American women state they have at least one binge drinking episode each month.
8.3% of adult American men can be considered to have at least some form of binge drinking problem.
4.5% % of adult American men can be considered to have at least some form of binge drinking problem.
Binge Drinking Statistics by Location
15.4% of Americans are estimated to be binge drinkers.
20.9% of residents of the state of Wisconsin are binge drinkers.
20.8% of residents of the state North Dakota of are binge drinkers.
20.5% of residents of the state of Montana are binge drinkers.
20.1% of residents of the state Iowa of are binge drinkers.
19.6% of residents of the state of South Dakota are binge drinkers.
19.5% of residents of the state Nebraska of are binge drinkers.
18.7% of residents of the state of Colorado are binge drinkers.
17.9% of residents of the state of Minnesota are binge drinkers.
17.7% of residents of the state Kansas of are binge drinkers.
17.5% of residents of the state of Alaska are binge drinkers.
17.3% of residents of the state Rhode Island of are binge drinkers.
17.2% of residents of the state of Louisiana are binge drinkers.
17% of residents of the state of Vermont are binge drinkers.
16.8% of residents of the state of Ohio are binge drinkers.
16.6% of residents of the state of Hawaii are binge drinkers.
16.6% of residents of the state of are Missouri binge drinkers.
16.4% of residents of the state of Texas are binge drinkers.
16.2% of residents of the state of Massachusetts’s are binge drinkers.
16.1% of residents of the state of Michigan are binge drinkers.
15.9% of residents of the state of Wyoming are binge drinkers.
15.9% of residents of the state of are Arizona binge drinkers.
15.8% of residents of the state of Oregon are binge drinkers.
15.4% of residents of the state Virginia of are binge drinkers.
15.4% of residents of the state of Indiana are binge drinkers.
15.3% of residents of the state of Pennsylvania are binge drinkers.
15.3% of residents of the state of North Carolina are binge drinkers.
15.2% of residents of the state of Washington are binge drinkers.
15.2% of residents of the state of Maine are binge drinkers.
15% of residents of the state of South Carolina are binge drinkers.
15% of residents of the state of California are binge drinkers.
14.9% of residents of the state of New York are binge drinkers.
14.8% of residents of the state of Illinois are binge drinkers.
14.6% of residents of the state of New Hampshire are binge drinkers.
14.6% of residents of the state of Bew Jersey are binge drinkers.
14.5% of residents of the state of Georgia are binge drinkers.
14.2% of residents of the state of Tennessee are binge drinkers.
14% of residents of the state of Idaho are binge drinkers.
13.6% of residents of the state of Connecticut are binge drinkers.
13.2% of residents of the state of New Mexico are binge drinkers.
13% of residents of the state of Maryland are binge drinkers.
12.9% of residents of the state of Delaware are binge drinkers.
12.7% of residents of the state of Nevada are binge drinkers.
12.7% of residents of the state of Arkansas are binge drinkers.
12.6% of residents of the state of are Kentucky binge drinkers.
12.5% of residents of the state of Alabama are binge drinkers.
12.% of residents of the state of Mississippi are binge drinkers.
11.9% of residents of the state of Oklahoma are binge drinkers.
11.8% of residents of the state of Utah are binge drinkers.
11.6% of residents of the state of West Virginia are binge drinkers.
Short-Term Effects of Binge Drinking
33% of all people in the United States report their binge drinking lead to at least one episode of vomiting.
25% of all people in the United States report their binge drinking lead to at least one episode of confusion where they were unaware of certain facts for at least an hour or more.
27% of all people in the United States report their binge drinking lead to at least one episode of minor seizures.
7% of all people in the United States report their binge drinking lead to at least one episode of major seizures that needed further treatment by a medical professional.
7% of all people in the United States report their binge drinking lead to at least one episode of unconsciousness that needed further treatment by a medical professional.
25% of all people in the United States report their binge drinking lead to at least feelings of aggression where they felt attacked by another person or felt the need to attack another person in some way.
45% of all people in the United States report their binge drinking lead to at least feelings where they were making poor life choices at that time.
The negative short-term effects of binge drinking can be compounded by drinking on an empty stomach.
People who binge drink are more likely to get into a car crash.
Binge drinking is strongly correlated with the risk of killing someone as a result of a car crash.
55% of people who binge drink report some form of memory loss.
85% of all known drinking and driving episodes have been reported by people who have also reported that they were binge drinking.
90% of all the alcohol that enters the body is broken down by the liver.
A single episode of short-term binge drinking can inflame the pancreas.
A single episode of short-term binge drink can inflame and irritate the lining of your stomach.
People who engage in short-term binge drinking will find it harder to recover from a cut.
A single episode of binge drinking can lead to a disruption of your heart’s rhythms.
A single episode of binge drinking can cause your kidneys to produce more urine.
A single episode of binge drinking can lead to dangerous low blood sugar. That can put you at risk of a blackout.
A single episode of binge drinking can put you at risk of getting a sexually transmitted disease. People who binge drank were at 50% greater risk of getting a sexually transmitted disease than those who did not drink at all.
Long-Term Effects of Binge Drinking
The number of people dying as a result of alcohol abuse tripled from 1999 to 2016. This coincides with a rise in the number of binge drinkers overall in the United States.
21 binge drinking sessions over the course of 7 weeks was more than enough to cause symptoms of what is known as early stage liver disease when tested in mice.
Long-term binge drinking is known to increase a person’s risk of cancer.
Long-term binge drinking increases a person’s risk of liver cancer.
Long-term binge drinking increases a person’s risk of mouth cancer.
Long-term binge drinking increases a person’s risk of throat cancer.
Long-term binge drinking increases a person’s risk of voice box cancer.
Long-term binge drinking increases a person’s risk of esophagus cancer.
Long-term binge drinking increases a person’s risk of colon cancer.
Long-term binge drinking increases a person’s risk of rectum cancer.
Women who engage in binge drinking increase their long-term risk of breast cancer.
Long-term bouts of binge drinking are linked to the development of cirrhosis and the need for a liver transplant.
Binge drinking can lead to a suppressed immune system.
Binge drinking can impede the body’s ability to absorb calcium. This can lead to the development of osteoporosis.
Binge drinking can increase a person’s risk of a stroke.
Binge drinking reduces a man’s sperm count.
Binge drinking is known to decrease a woman’s chance of conceiving.
Binge drinking can make it harder for people to get the nutrition they need. This can lead to malnutrition that can affect binge drinkers in the long-term and make it harder for them to get healthy and stay healthy.
Binge Drinking Effects on the Body
American men who engaged in any form of binge drinking in which they drank over 12 times each year had a 121.8 mm Hg average systolic blood pressure.
American men who engaged in the process of binge drinking on a less frequent basis report having 119 mm Hg average systolic blood pressure.
American men who did not binge drink at all at any point in time report having 117.5 mm Hg average systolic blood pressure.
Binge drinking can lead to hangovers that are even worse than hangovers that result from drinking a smaller number of drinks over a longer period of time.
People who binge drink can feel what is known as the shakes. This is when the body starts to shake and the person who has indulged in binge drinking finds they can’t quite get their body to stop shaking.
People who binge drink are a much higher risk of alcohol poisoning when compared to people who choose to drink less during the same time.
People who binge drink are more likely to have an ankle injury.
People who binge drink are more likely to have broken bones than people who choose to abstain from drinking at all. People who binge drink are more likely to have a longer period of recovery from a broken bone from those who don’t drink at all or those who drink a lot less.
Binge drinking is not only dangerous for the person who drinks. It also puts a woman’s fetus at risk from many problems if she’s pregnant while she’s binge drinking.
Babies born to mothers who binge drink a single time are twice as likely to suffer from low birthweight as babies born to mothers who don’t drink.
Babies born to mothers who binge drink are twice as likely to suffer breathing problems at birth than mothers who don’t drink.
Babies born to mothers who binge drink are three times more likely to be premature than mothers who don’t drink.
Babies born to mothers who binge drink are three times more likely to spent time in the NICU than mothers who don’t drink.
Babies born to mothers who binge drink are more than three times more likely to have reading difficulties or need to repeat a grade than mothers who don’t drink.
Binge Drinking Prevention
Parents who were able to avoid binge drinking were able to help their vastly reduce their children’s risk of binge drinking as adults.
Parents who were able to successfully quit their own binge drinking were able to show their children how to avoid binge drinking in the first place.
19% of binge drinkers in the United States find it easier to stop binge drinking by slowing the pace of their drinking.
25% of binge drinkers find it easier to reduce their episodes of drinking when they agree to only consume a certain number of drinks at a given time.
45% of all binge drinkers in the United States find it easier to avoid binge drinking when they have a partner who is not consuming any alcohol.
76% of all binge drinkers in the United States find it easier to avoid binge drinking when there is only a limited quantity at a party.
55% of all binge drinkers in the United States find it easier to avoid binge drinking when they have a choice of drinking other beverages.
65% of all binge drinkers in the United States find it easier to avoid binge drinking when they have a ticket system that helps them keep track of the number of drinks they’ve had in a given time frame.
65% of all binge drinkers in the United States find it easier to avoid binge drinking when they avoid having a party that has a bring your own booze option.
55% of all binge drinkers in the United States find it easier to avoid binge drinking when they have someone in person who can help them stop drinking.
44% of all binge drinkers in the United States find it easier to avoid binge drinking when they know the exact alcohol content of each drink they are drinking during the time they are drinking.
34% of all binge drinkers in the United States find it easier to avoid binge drinking when they have an opportunity to choose from varied types of alcoholic beverages. If there is a beverage with a lower alcohol content they can pick that one instead of the one that has a lot more alcohol.
56% all binge drinkers in the United States find it easier to avoid binge drinking when they were able to have a glass of water before they continued to have another drink.
46% all binge drinkers in the United States find it easier to avoid binge drinking when they were able to have something to eat at a party or other occasion before they had another drink.
People who give parties find it easier to limit consumption of alcohol and potential binge drinking when they were able to set up a specific time to serve alcohol and not serve drinks at the party beyond that time.
Binge Drinking Treatment
57% all binge drinker in the United States have found that detoxification is helpful in reducing the number of drinks they consume each week.
67% all binge drinker in the United States have found that behavioral therapy is helpful in reducing the number of drinks they consume each week.
There are many types of medication that can help people with binge drinking and general problems with alcohol use disorder.
Acamprosate can increase rates of abstinence in people with a form of alcohol use disorder.
Antabuse can increase rates of abstinence in people with a form of alcohol use disorder.
Naltrexone can increase rates of abstinence in people with a form of alcohol use disorder.
Topiramate can increase rates of abstinence in people with a form of alcohol use disorder.
Ondansetron can increase rates of abstinence in people with a form of alcohol use disorder.
Certain treatments for binge drinking can be used at home.
People who exercise at least twice a week felt it helped them reduce binge drinking or avoid it completely.
People who were overweight and then lost at least ten pounds found that it helped them reduce their incidence of binge drinking or avoid binge drinking at all.
Virtual support meetings for those with a binge drinking problem have been shown to reduce drinking rates by 50%.
Being aware of triggers that lead to excess alcohol consumption has been shown to help reduce drinking by 35%.
Removing all forms of alcohol from a person’s home has been shown to reduce the possibility of binge drinking by 45%.
Inpatient treatment for binge drinking has been shown to reduce episodes of binge drinking by 59%.
44% of people who were treated for binge drinking with cognitive behavioral therapy found the treatment helped them avoid relapses.
Raising the cost of alcohol has been shown to help reduce the incidence of binge drinking in the United States.
Reducing the number of locations where alcohol is sold has been shown to reduce the incidences of binge drinking in the United States.
Reducing the kind of outlets where alcohol can be sold legally has been shown to reduce the incidences of binge drinking in the United States.
Holding people liable for any damaged caused as a result of too much alcohol consumption on their location has been shown to reduce the incidences of binge drinking in the United States.
Holding people and places responsible for selling alcohol to minors has been shown to reduce the incidences of binge drinking in the United States.
Limiting the hours when alcohol may be sold at a given facility has been shown to help reduce the incidence of binge drinking in the United States.
