Binge Drinking 

Binge drinking is a dangerous behavior but is not 

widely recognized as a women’s health problem. 

Drinking too much – including binge drinking* - 

results in about 23,000 deaths in women and girls 

each year. Binge drinking increases the chances of 

breast cancer, heart disease, sexually transmitted 

diseases, unintended pregnancy, and many other 

health problems. Drinking during pregnancy can 

lead to sudden infant death syndrome and fetal 

alcohol spectrum disorders. 

About 1 in 8 women aged 18 years and older and 

1 in 5 high school girls binge drink. Women who 

binge drink do so frequently – about 3 times a 

month – and have about 6 drinks per binge. There 

are effective actions communities can take to 

prevent binge drinking among women and girls. 1 in 5 high school girls binge drink. 

1 in 5

A Serious, Under-Recognized Problem 

Among Women and Girls

6

Women average 6 drinks per binge.

Nearly 14 million US women binge drink 

about 3 times a month.

1 in 8

See page 4

Want to learn more? Visit

January 2013

 www http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns

more alcohol drinks (beer, wine, or liquor) on an occasion.

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion 

Division of Population Health
Problem

Binge drinking among women 

and girls is a dangerous 

problem.

Drinking too much can seriously affect the health 

of women and girls.

◊ Women’s and girls’ bodies respond to alcohol differently 

than men’s. It takes less alcohol for women to get 

intoxicated because of their size and how they process 

alcohol.

◊ Binge drinking can lead to unintended pregnancies. It is 

not safe to drink at any time during pregnancy. 

◊ If women binge drink while pregnant, they risk exposing 

their developing baby to high levels of alcohol, increasing 

the chances the baby will be harmed by the mother’s 

alcohol use. 

Drinking is influenced by your community and 

your relationships.

◊ Alcohol use in a community is affected by alcohol’s price 

and availability.

◊ Underage drinking is affected by exposure to alcohol 

marketing.

◊ Underage drinking is also influenced by adult drinking, 

and youth often obtain alcohol from adults. 

Injuries

Motor vehicle crashes, falls, drowning

Violence 

Homicide, suicide, intimate partner violence, 

sexual assault

Chronic diseases

High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease

Cancer

Of the breast, liver, mouth and throat

Reproductive health

Unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases 

such as HIV

Alcohol dependence/alcoholism

Learning and memory problems

Risks for women and girls

• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder 

(ADHD)

If pregnant

• Miscarriage, stillbirth, premature 

birth, and low birth weight 

• Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders 

(FASDs) which include physical, 

behavioral, and learning disabilities
Binge drinking* among women and high school girls by age group

Which women and girls are most likely to binge drink?

Whites &

Hispanics

Women with 

household incomes 

above $75,000

Women aged 

18-34 and high 

school girls $75K+

0

10

20

30

0

10

20

30

Binge drinking* among high school students reporting current alcohol use* by grade

% of Girls

% of Women

11

22

13 17 11 10 10

SOURCES: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), 2011.

*reported behavior in the past 30 days

 Binge drinking* by race/ethnicity among women and high school girls

Hispanic White, 

non-Hispanic

Other 

non-Hispanic†

Black, 

non-Hispanic

†Other non-Hispanic includes Asian, Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaskan Native, and multiracial.

22

High 

School 18-24

Ages Ages Ages Ages Ages

25-34 35-44 45-64 ≥65

20% 20% 15% 10% 3%

Percent Percent

45% 50% 58% 62%

24%
 www http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns

 www http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr

For more information, please contact 

Telephone: 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636)

TTY: 1-888-232-6348

E-mail: cdcinfo@cdc.gov

Web: www.cdc.gov

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

1600 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30333

Publication date: 01/08/2012

What Can Be Done

Doctors, nurses, and others 

who treat patients can

◊ Ask women about binge drinking and counsel 

those who do to drink less (see http://www.

uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/

uspsdrin.htm). This screening and counseling 

can also be effectively done using the internet, 

telephone, or other electronic methods, as 

recommended by the Community Guide.

◊ Advise women who are pregnant or might be 

pregnant not to drink at all.

◊ Recognize that most binge drinkers are not alcohol 

dependent or alcoholics, but may need counseling.

◊ Support effective policies to prevent binge 

drinking such as those recommended by the 

Community Guide.

Women and girls can

◊ Avoid binge drinking. If you choose to drink 

alcohol, follow the US Dietary Guidelines.

◊ Choose not to drink alcohol if you are underage or 

if there is any chance you could be pregnant. 

◊ Be cautious about consuming drinks if the alcohol 

content is unknown to you.

CS236885-B

Key Points on Alcohol Consumption 

from the 2010 US Dietary Guidelines for 

Americans 

◊ Don’t begin drinking or drink more frequently on 

the basis of potential health benefits.

◊ If you do choose to drink, do so in moderation. 

This is defined as up to 1 drink a day for women 

or 2 for men.

◊ Don’t drink at all if you are under age 21, 

pregnant or may be pregnant, or have health 

problems that could be made worse by drinking.

Federal agencies and national 

partners are

◊ Recognizing that binge drinking is an important 

women’s health issue.

◊ Working with states and communities to support 

Community Guide recommendations to reduce 

binge drinking. 

◊ Informing people about the US Dietary Guidelines 

on alcohol consumption (see box).

◊ Helping states and communities to report on how 

many people binge drink, how often and how 

much they drink when they binge, and whether 

health care providers are screening and counseling 

for excessive alcohol use. 

◊ Reporting on youth exposure to alcohol marketing 

because it influences underage drinking. 

We know what works

The Guide to Community Preventive Services 

(Community Guide) recommends effective policies 

to prevent binge drinking. 

Learn more at 

www.thecommunityguide.org/alcohol.

States and communities can

◊ Follow Community Guide recommendations to 

reduce binge drinking. The same approaches that 

work in the population as a whole can work for 

women and girls.

◊ Increase enforcement of laws on the sale and 

consumption of alcohol.

◊ Develop partnerships with a variety of 

groups, including schools, women’s and girls’ 

organizations, law enforcement, and public health 

agencies to reduce binge drinking.

◊ Report on how many people binge drink, how 

often, and how much they drink when they binge.

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