47 Binge Drinking Statistics

Binge drinking is a common trend among young adults and college students. It is a dangerous habit that can lead to various health problems and even death. Here are 47 binge drinking statistics that will shock you.

October 1, 2023

August 15, 2024

Key Binge Drinking Statistics

Binge drinking is defined as consuming a large amount of alcohol in a short period of time, usually 4-5 drinks for women and 5-6 drinks for men.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, approximately 26.45% of people aged 18 or older reported binge drinking in the past month.
Binge drinking is more common among men than women. Approximately 29.3% of men reported binge drinking compared to 22.7% of women.
The highest percentage of binge drinkers are between the ages of 18-25.
Binge drinking is more common among Caucasians and Hispanics than other ethnic groups.
Binge drinking is more common in households with an annual income of $75,000 or more.

Binge Drinking by Age

50% of college students who binge drink are between the ages of 18-20.
The age group with the highest percentage of binge drinkers is 21-25, at 29.9%.
In the age group of 26 or older, approximately 15.3% report binge drinking in the past month.
Among high school students, approximately 14.8% reported binge drinking in the past month.
Approximately 3 million people aged 12-20 reported binge drinking in the past month, which represents about one in five people in this age group.

Binge Drinking by Gender

Men are more likely to binge drink than women. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, in 2019, about 24.2% of men reported binge drinking in the past month compared to approximately 16.1% of women.
Among high school students, males (19%) were more likely to report binge drinking than females (12%), according to the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System.
In college students, males (44.5%) were also more likely to report binge drinking than females (34.5%), according to a survey by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
The percentage of adults who reported binge drinking in the past month was higher for men (27.3%) than women (25.7%), according to data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
Among adults aged 18-64 years old, men were almost twice as likely as women to have driven under the influence of alcohol in the past year, with rates of 4.0% for men and 2.3% for women, according to a survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Teenage Binge Drinking Statistics

Approximately 1,400 college students die each year from alcohol-related injuries.
696,000 students aged 18-24 are assaulted by another student who has been drinking.
97,000 students aged 18-24 are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or rape.
One in four college students report academic problems due to drinking, including missing class, falling behind in assignments, and lower grades.
20% of college students meet the criteria for an alcohol use disorder.
The average college student spends $900 per year on alcohol.
29.8% drank alcohol on at least 1 day.
13.5% had binge drank (4 or more drinks in a couple hours for girls, 5 or more for boys).
4% consumed 10 or more drinks in a row, within a couple of hours.
5% of those who drank in the past 30 days usually got alcohol from someone giving it to them.
5.5% of those who drove a vehicle in the past 30 days drove after drinking alcohol.
16.5% rode with a driver who had been drinking alcohol.

Consequences and Costs

Excessive alcohol consumption costs the United States approximately $249 billion per year.
Binge drinking costs the United States approximately $191 billion per year.
Approximately 88,000 people die each year from alcohol-related causes.
Binge drinking is responsible for 77% of alcohol-related deaths.
Binge drinking is responsible for 1 in 10 deaths among working-age adults.
Binge drinking accounts for 1 in 3 alcohol-related deaths in the United States.

Binge Drinking per Country

In the United Kingdom, approximately 27% of adults reported binge drinking in the past month, according to a survey by the Office for National Statistics.
In Australia, approximately 25% of adults reported binge drinking in the past year, according to data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
In Canada, approximately 19% of adults reported binge drinking in the past month, according to a survey by Statistics Canada.
In France, approximately 23% of adults reported binge drinking in the past year, according to a survey by Santé Publique France.
In Germany, approximately 44% of young adults aged 18-34 reported binge drinking in the past month, according to data from the Federal Centre for Health Education.
In Russia, approximately 30% of adults reported binge drinking in the past month, according to a study by The Lancet.
In Japan, only 4.9% of adults reported binge drinking in the past month, according to data from the World Health Organization.

Binge Drinking per State

Wisconsin has the highest percentage of binge drinkers at 26.2%.
North Dakota is second with 25.9% of adults reporting binge drinking in the past month.
Minnesota comes in third with 22.9% of adults reporting binge drinking.
Iowa follows closely behind with 22.1% of adults reporting binge drinking.
Nebraska and Illinois both have a reported rate of 21.1%.
Montana ranks seventh with a reported rate of 20.7%.

Binge Drinking by Race

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, American Indian or Alaska Native adults have the highest rate of binge drinking at 30.6%.
White adults have the second-highest rate of binge drinking at 26.8%.
Black adults have a lower rate of binge drinking compared to other races with only 17.4% reporting binge drinking in the past month.
Asian adults have the lowest rate of binge drinking with only 11.4% reporting binge drinking in the past month according to data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Hispanic adults have a higher rate of binge drinking compared to other non-white races with 25.2% reporting binge drinking in the past month according to data from SAMHSA.
Multiracial individuals have a higher rate of binge drinking with approximately 28.5% reporting binge drinking in the past month according to data from SAMHSA.
Data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System shows that non-Hispanic white adults are more likely than non-Hispanic black or Hispanic adults to report driving after having too much alcohol, with rates of 5.6%, 2.6%, and 3.7%, respectively.

Binge Drinking Prevalence

In 2020, approximately 14.5 million adults aged 18 years and older had an alcohol use disorder (AUD), and of those, about 8.2 million had a co-occurring mental illness.
In the United States, approximately one in six adults binge drinks four times per month, with an average of seven drinks per binge.
Among college students, approximately 38% reported binge drinking in the past month.
In 2020, about 1 in 20 adolescents aged 12 to 17 years old reported binge drinking in the past month.
Approximately 10% of pregnant women in the United States report alcohol use during pregnancy, which can lead to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) and other health problems for the baby.

It's important to note that these statistics highlight the prevalence of binge drinking across different age groups and populations. They also illustrate the potential consequences of excessive alcohol consumption on individuals and society as a whole.

How Many Binge Drinks are Consumed?

On average, adults who binge drink do so about once a week and consume about 7 drinks per episode.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than half of the alcohol consumed by adults in the United States is due to binge drinking.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that adults aged 26 years or older consume more than half of all binge drinks in the United States.
Among high school students who reported binge drinking, the average number of drinks consumed was 6.6 drinks per episode.
In college students, approximately 90% of the alcohol consumed is done through binge drinking episodes, with an average of 4.9 drinks per episode.
In Australia, young people aged 15-24 years old who reported binge drinking consumed an average of 7.5 standard drinks per session.
A study conducted in Germany found that men who binge drank had an average consumption rate of 17.3 alcoholic beverages per week while women had an average consumption rate of 8.5 alcoholic beverages per week.

Conclusion

Binge drinking is a serious issue that affects individuals, families, and society as a whole. The statistics presented in this article demonstrate the prevalence and potential consequences of excessive alcohol consumption, especially among young adults and college students. It is crucial to understand the risks associated with binge drinking and take steps to prevent it.

This can include education and awareness campaigns, policy changes, and support for those struggling with alcohol addiction. By working together to address this issue, we can create a safer and healthier future for ourselves and our communities.