The amount of alcohol consumed has a strong relationship to the generation of alcohol induced problems. It can be seen from the figure that in United States approximately 60% of the population are current drinkers of these, approximately 20% have problem drinking. Problem drinkers are organized into different groups depending on the definition. Heavy drinkers are defined as having more than seven drinks per week for women and 14 drinks per week for men. Binge drinking is defined is more than four drinks for women and more than five drinks for men on one occasion. Risky drinking includes binging at least once per year while problem drinking includes binging at least once a month.
-
-
Alcohol abuse is defined as:
Substance Abuse
-
And alcohol dependence is defined as:
Substance Dependence
-
Most heavy drinkers have alcohol abuse and/or dependence and even some moderate drinkers do also because of the problem with binging. A moderate drinker with binging can have a diagnosis of alcohol abuse or dependence. The different definitions result in the fact that moderate and heavy drinkers do not exactly correspond to the diagnosis of a risky drinker, problem drinker, alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence.
Alcohol-Related Problems Increase with Amount Consumed.
Binging and frequency of binging (5 or more drinks on one occasion) also increases risk for alcohol dependency and abuse. Data from NIAA National Epidemiologic Survey 2001-2002 interviews of 43,093 individuals. (Constructed from data in Grant BF, et al, Drug Alcohol Depend, 74: 223-234; and Saltz R, New Eng J Med, 352(6):596-607, 2005)
Skip to