·Excessive alcohol use, either in the form of heavy drinking
(drinking more than two drinks per day on average for men or
more than one drink per day on average for women), or binge drinking
(drinking 5 or more drinks during a single occasion for men or 4
or more drinks during a single occasion for women), can lead to
increased risk of health problems such as liver disease or
unintentional injuries.
·According to the
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey, more
than half of the adult U.S. population drank alcohol in the past
30 days. Approximately 5% of the total population drank heavily,
while 15% of the population binge drank.
·According to the
Alcohol-Related Disease Impact (ARDI) tool, from 2001–2005,
there were approximately 79,000 deaths annually attributable to
excessive alcohol use. In fact, excessive alcohol use is the 3rd
leading lifestyle-related cause of death for people in the
United States each year.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011
According to
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are
various definitions in regards to the “safe” amount of alcohol a
person should be consuming:
·Binge drinking
oFor women, 4 or
more drinks during a single occasion.
oFor men, 5 or more
drinks during a single occasion.
·Heavy drinking
oFor women, more
than 1 drink per day on average.
oFor men, more than
2 drinks per day on average
- Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, 2011
2.
HEALTH RISKS
Immediate
Excessive alcohol use has immediate effects that increase the risk
of many harmful health conditions. These immediate effects are
most often the result of binge drinking and include the
following
·Unintentional
injuries, including traffic injuries, falls, drownings, burns,
and unintentional firearm injuries.
·Violence,
including intimate partner violence and child maltreatment.
About 35% of victims report that offenders are under the
influence of alcohol. Alcohol use is also associated with 2 out
of 3 incidents of intimate partner violence. Studies have also
shown that alcohol is a leading factor in child maltreatment and
neglect cases, and is the most frequent substance abused among
these parents.
·Risky sexual
behaviors, including unprotected sex, sex with multiple
partners, and increased risk of sexual assault. These behaviors
can result in unintended pregnancy or sexually transmitted
diseases.
·Miscarriage and
stillbirth among pregnant women, and a combination of physical
and mental birth defects among children that last throughout
life.
·Alcohol poisoning,
a medical emergency that results from high blood alcohol levels
that suppress the central nervous system and can cause loss of
consciousness, low blood pressure and body temperature, coma,
respiratory depression, or death.
Long-Term
Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to the development of
chronic diseases, neurological impairments and social problems.
These include but are not limited to
·Neurological
problems, including dementia, stroke and neuropathy.
·Cardiovascular
problems, including myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy,
atrial fibrillation and hypertension.
·Psychiatric
problems, including depression, anxiety, and suicide.
·Social problems,
including unemployment, lost productivity, and family problems.
·Cancer of the
mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, colon, and breast. In general,
the risk of cancer increases with increasing amounts of alcohol.
·Liver diseases,
including—
·Alcoholic
hepatitis.
·Cirrhosis, which
is among the 15 leading causes of all deaths in the United
States.
·Among persons with
Hepatitis C virus, worsening of liver function and interference
with medications used to treat this condition.
·Other
gastrointestinal problems, including pancreatitis and gastritis.
“There are approximately 79,000 deaths attributable to excessive
alcohol use each year in the United States. This makes excessive
alcohol use the 3rd leading lifestyle-related cause of death for
the nation.”
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011
