Study: College Binge Drinking a Bigger Problem

New research indicates that binge drinking among male college students may be much worse than reported in previous studies, Reuters reported Sept. 9.

According to the new study by the Prevention Research Center of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, some college students drink more than 20 alcoholic drinks in a row when partying -- ingesting dangerous amounts of alcohol in the process.

While most research defines binge drinking as consuming five or more alcoholic drinks in a row, few studies count how much more past the five drinks that students consume.

In surveying 1,000 male college drinkers, the researchers found that the majority had consumed 24 or more drinks in a row.

"These are levels of drinking at which most men will have passed out or become comatose," said Paul Gruenewald, who led the study. "These are levels at which drinkers are at risk for the very serious problems posed by peak drinking, including alcohol poisoning."

The study showed that students had 12 or more alcoholic drinks in a row at least 10 percent of the time.

"When you see just how much some students may drink, it's easier to understand how these young people may suffer from many alcohol-related accidents and injuries, some as simple as falling out of a dormitory window," said Gruenewald.

Source: www.jointogether.org