CDC Says Typical Binge Drinker is White, Young, Relatively Affluent Male

A new study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that binge drinking is most common among whites, men, individuals aged 18-24, and those with an annual income of more than $50,000 annually, HealthDay News reported April 2.

CDC researchers studied data on about 63,000 Americans and found that 17.5 percent of whites and 24.3 percent of males were binge drinkers. Of young people between the ages of 18 and 24, 27.4 percent were binge drinkers, and of people between the ages of 24-34, 24.4 percent were binge drinkers.

Binge drinking was most common among those with an income of $50,000 or more, but individuals with incomes under $25,000 annually had the highest number of binge-drinking episodes within the past 30 days.

Binge drinkers reported an average of four binge episodes a month, the CDC said, consuming an average of 8 drinks per episode. Binge drinkers who were black or American Indian/Alaskan Native averaged the highest number of binge episodes per month.

The study was published in the April 3, 2009 issue of the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

This research summary has been revised to reflect the following correction: 

Correction, April 7, 2009: This summary originally stated that 24.3 percent of binge drinkers were male, rather than that 24.3 percent of males were binge drinkers. It incorrectly explained other prevelance data regarding percentages of whites and age groups that were binge drinkers. The article has been revised to reflect the correct data.