HHS HealthBeat (June 11, 2009)

Surprising binge drinkers

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

College students, especially guys, are famous for binge drinking, which is five or more drinks on an occasion. But a review of national survey data found another group that does a lot of binge drinking. And it’s not in the college student income level.

Pollyanna Chavez of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says – surprisingly – people making $50,000 a year or more were more likely to binge drink. She says people at this income level know a good bit about health risks, but some seem to have a blind spot:

[Pollyanna Chavez speaks] "The existing awareness about the risks associated with other factors like smoking and obesity is missing when we consider the risks associated with binge drinking."

She says binge drinking might not carry as much stigma.

The study is in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: June, 11 2009