Epidemiology of Alcohol Use and Deviant Drinking
Part 1. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health
Rates of "Binge" and Heavy Drinking
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health collects information from residents of households, noninstitutional group quarters (e.g., shelters, rooming houses, dormitories), and civilians living on military bases ages 12 and over. Persons excluded from the survey include homeless persons who do not use shelters, military personnel on active duty, and residents of institutional group quarters, such as jails and hospitals.
The NSDUH survey includes questions about the recency and frequency of consumption of alcoholic beverages, such as beer, wine, whiskey, brandy, and mixed drinks. An extensive list of examples of the kinds of beverages covered is given to respondents prior to the question administration. A "drink" is defined as a can or bottle of beer, a glass of wine or a wine cooler, a shot of liquor, or a mixed drink with liquor in it. Times when the respondent only had a sip or two from a drink are not considered as consumption. Estimates for the prevalence of alcohol use are reported primarily at three levels defined for both males and females and for all ages as follows:
- Current use - At least one drink in the past 30 days (includes binge and heavy use).
- Binge use - Five or more drinks on the same occasion at least once in the past 30 days (includes heavy use).
- Heavy use - Five or more drinks on the same occasion on at least 5 different days in the past 30 days.
About half of Americans aged 12 or older reported being current drinkers of alcohol in the 2006 survey (50.9 percent). This translates to an estimated 125 million people, which is similar to the 2002 estimate of 120 million current drinkers. In other words, the overall rate of alcohol use and number of drinkers in the United States has changed very little over the past five years.
More than one fifth (23.0 percent) of persons aged 12 or older participated in "binge drinking" at least once in the 30 days prior to the survey in 2006. Like the overall rate of alcohol use, the rate of so-called "binge drinking" has remained relatively constant since the 2002 NSDUH.
Finally, heavy drinking was
reported by 6.9 percent of the population aged 12 or older, or 17 million
people. These figures are similar to those of 2002, when 6.7 percent (15.9
million people) reported heavy drinking.
Rates of alcohol use and heavy drinking vary markedly by age. As shown
in the graph below, the prevalence of current (thirty-day) alcohol use
in 2006 increased from 3.9 percent at age 12 to nearly 70 percent of persons
21-25 years old. Among older age groups, the prevalence of alcohol use decreased with increasing age, from 63.5 percent among 26 to 29 year olds to 48.0 percent among 60 to 64 year olds and 38.4 percent among people aged 65 or older. The rate of "binge drinking" was 42.2 percent for young adults aged 18 to 25 in 2006. Heavy alcohol use was reported by 15.6 percent of persons aged 18 to 25. Whereas illegal drug use peaks in the 18-20 age category, the early 20s are the "prime
time" for heavy drinking in the United States.
