A Quarter of Middle-Aged Men Binge Drink

Excessive alcohol consumption isn't just for college kids

By Nick McMaster, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 17, 2009 5:24 PM CDT

(Newser) – Binge drinking is generally thought to be a college-age phenomenon, but middle-aged people—especially men—live it up as well, the New York Daily News reports. A new study in the American Journal of Psychiatry found that 23% of men and 9% of women between 50 and 64 years old had binged—consumed five drinks or more in the same day—in the past month.

Bottles of beers including Budwieser and Stella Artois are seen on display at Dixie Liquors, Monday July 14, 2008, in Washington. (AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson)

A member of staff inspects the new three million pound (US$ 4,439,200: euro 3, 352,137) tour of the Scotch Whisky Experience in Edinburgh, Scotland, Friday May 1, 2009. (AP Photo/David Cheskin-pa)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

AP Photo

35 Brutally Honest Reasons Men Say No to Sex (The Stir)

Man in Mugshot Explains Why He Has Half a Head (HuffPost)

Another Sign Rihanna and Chris Brown Might Get Back Together? (Celebuzz)

These Exes Were Spotted Making Out … and That's a Bad Thing (Bleacher Report)

Which Entertainer Pulled Out of 'Inappropriate' Whitney Tribute? (NewsOne)

Partner Links

A snapshot of the day's best news stories.

View Larger Grid

All Today Yesterday Pick a Date

COMMENTS

Read the comment policy

Showing 3 of 14 comments

kokuaguy

Aug 18, 2009 12:50 PM CDT

This explains a lot, folks. I just wish Corona_king were here to acknowledge his (her) binger background. Jayster? Timmie?

freethemall

Aug 18, 2009 10:23 AM CDT

Oh.

brawne

Aug 18, 2009 6:20 AM CDT

Exactly. If you can remember where your car is--it wasn't a binge. Lighten up you guys. We are all the genetic products of the folks who drank alcohol instead of the bacteria-laden water that would kill you three thousand years ago. Why do you think our liver is bigger than our head?

What's Popular Now on Facebook

Rick Santorum: Birth Control Is 'Not OK'

E-Cigarette Explodes in Man's Mouth

New York Daily News (Source Grid »)

Health

baby boomer • alcohol • binge drinking • college • middle age • American Journal of Psychiatry

More Newser Stories

Seniors Binge Drink the Most

Half of all alcohol consumed in America drunk in binges

(NEWSER) - More revelations from the new report by the CDC on binge drinking in America: Universities may be home to the biggest binge drinkers in America, but it turns out the most frequent bingers live in retirement homes, reports Discovery . The report defines a "binge" as five drinks in one short time for a man, or four for a woman, and found that people over 65 who binged did so most often, an average of 5.5 times a month. The national average for bingers is 4.4 times per month. Binge drinkers down more than half of the booze consumed in America, notes Discovery. That number soars to 90% for young people. Click for more from the study . More»

1 in 6 Americans Is a Binge Drinker

Nation's heaviest boozers are in Wisconsin, study finds

(NEWSER) - Federal health officials have released their most detailed study yet of America's binge drinkers—and if you're a college-educated, high-earning young white man from Wisconsin, you may already be drunk by the time you read this. Researchers found that 38 million Americans, roughly a sixth of the adult population, are binge drinkers who over-indulge an average of 4.4 times a month, Bloomberg reports. A binge was defined as five or more drinks in the space of two hours for men, and four or more drinks for women. More»

Binge Boozers Cost Society $2 a Drink

New CDC research tallies up impact of excessive drinking

(NEWSER) - Are you willing to pay an extra $2 for your beer? That’s the amount, per drink, that excessive drinking costs the US in medical expenses and other societal costs including lost work productivity, car crash-related property damage, and incarceration for alcohol-related crimes, according to a new CDC calculation. Such costs amounted to nearly $224 billion in 2006, or $1.90 per alcoholic beverage, the AP reports. More»

Arizona Prof's Research: Getting Students Drunk

They're paid $60 for night at the 'bar'

(NEWSER) - An Arizona State professor wants his students to get smashed—and he’s willing to pay them to do it. That’s because William Corbin is researching the effects of alcohol on behavior, and ASU students are his subjects. Several nights a week, he converts his lab into a bar, complete with top 40 music and jeans-clad research assistants as bartenders, the Arizona Republic reports. Only one kind of drink is served, vodka mixed with 7UP and juice, whose strength is adjusted according to the subject’s weight and sex. More»

Pabst, Snoop Slammed Over 'Binge in a Can'

17 states attorneys general complain about fruity new booze drink

(NEWSER) - Pabst Brewing and pitchman Snoop Dogg are catching flak for a drink critics call "a binge in a can." Blast, a fruit-flavored malt liquor that comes in a 23-ounce can, was launched earlier this month and 17 state attorneys general have written to Pabst urging it to reduce the drink's alcohol content, reports CNN . The alcohol content of one can of Blast—12%—is equivalent to the alcohol in as many as five regular 12-ounce beers. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

A Quarter of Middle-Aged Men Binge Drink

Excessive alcohol consumption isn't just for college kids

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

baby boomer • alcohol • binge drinking • college • middle age • American Journal of Psychiatry

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Seniors Binge Drink the Most

Half of all alcohol consumed in America drunk in binges

1 in 6 Americans Is a Binge Drinker

Nation's heaviest boozers are in Wisconsin, study finds

Binge Boozers Cost Society $2 a Drink

New CDC research tallies up impact of excessive drinking

Arizona Prof's Research: Getting Students Drunk

They're paid $60 for night at the 'bar'

Pabst, Snoop Slammed Over 'Binge in a Can'

17 states attorneys general complain about fruity new booze drink

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?

A Quarter of Middle-Aged Men Binge Drink

Excessive alcohol consumption isn't just for college kids

Bookmark & Share

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

baby boomer • alcohol • binge drinking • college • middle age • American Journal of Psychiatry

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Seniors Binge Drink the Most

Half of all alcohol consumed in America drunk in binges

1 in 6 Americans Is a Binge Drinker

Nation's heaviest boozers are in Wisconsin, study finds

Binge Boozers Cost Society $2 a Drink

New CDC research tallies up impact of excessive drinking

Arizona Prof's Research: Getting Students Drunk

They're paid $60 for night at the 'bar'

Pabst, Snoop Slammed Over 'Binge in a Can'

17 states attorneys general complain about fruity new booze drink

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?