The World Health Organization Risk Drinking Levels Measure of Alcohol Consumption: Prevalence and Health Correlates in Nationally Representative Surveys of U.S. Adults, 2001-2002 and 2012-2013.

OBJECTIVE: Little is known about change over time in the prevalence of World Health Organization (WHO) risk drinking levels (very high, high, moderate, low) and their association with health conditions, overall and by gender. The authors used two sets of nationally representative U.S. survey data to determine whether changes over time varied by gender and to examine whether health conditions related to alcohol were associated with WHO risk drinking level within each survey, and whether these associations differed by gender. METHODS: Data on current drinkers from the 2001-2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC; N=26,655) and the 2012-2013 NESARC-III (N=25,659) were analyzed using logistic regression. Prevalence differences between surveys were estimated for each drinking level overall and by gender. Within each survey, prevalence differences by WHO risk drinking level were estimated for alcohol use disorder (AUD), drug use disorders, functional impairment, liver disease, and depressive and anxiety disorders. RESULTS: In the 2012-2013 survey, the prevalences of moderate, high, and very high risk drinking were 5.9%, 3.2%, and 3.5%, respectively, representing significant increases from the prevalences in the 2001-2002 survey, which were 1.0%, 0.6%, and 0.9%, respectively. The increase for very high risk drinking among men (0.5%) was smaller than the increase among women (1.4%). Within both surveys, compared with low risk, health conditions were significantly associated with very high risk (range of prevalence differences, 2.2%-57.8%), high risk (2.6%-41.3%), and moderate risk (0.6%-29.8%) drinking. Associations were similar by gender, except that there were stronger effects for AUD in men and for functional impairment and depressive and anxiety disorders in women. CONCLUSIONS: The increase in potentially problematic drinking levels among U.S. adults emphasizes the need for better prevention and treatment strategies. The study results support the validity of the WHO risk drinking levels, which show clinical utility as nonabstinent drinking reduction treatment goals. Such goals could engage more people in treatment, improving public health by decreasing personal and societal consequences of risk drinking.

Heavy episodic drinking trends in the Brazilian state capitals and Federal District, 2006-2018: an ecological time series analysis. / Tendência do beber episódico excessivo nas capitais brasileiras e no Distrito Federal, 2006-2018: um estudo ecológico de séries temporais.

OBJECTIVE: To assess heavy episodic drinking trends in the 26 Brazilian state capitals and Federal District, overall and according to sex. METHODS: This was an ecological time series study of heavy episodic drinking patterns among adults, from 2006 to 2018. The data were obtained from VIGITEL Survey time series. Prais-Winsten regression was used. RESULTS: In the period studied a stationary heavy episodic drinking trend was found in 23 out of the 27 state capitals, with the exception of Macapá, where there was a decrease in this practice, and in São Paulo, Florianópolis and the Federal District, where an increase was found. There were important differences by sex in relation to heavy episodic drinking, with a tendency to increased consumption among women in seven state capitals. CONCLUSION: There was no reduction in heavy episodic drinking in most capitals, showing the urgency of implementing interventions to reduce alcohol consumption among the Brazilian population.

Trends in U.S. women's binge drinking in middle adulthood by socioeconomic status, 2006-2018.

BACKGROUND: Binge drinking causes injury and illness. Prevalence of binge drinking doubled in 2006-2018 for women in middle adulthood (ages 30 s and 40 s); these are the first cohorts for whom attaining higher education and income (both associated with increased alcohol use) are highly prevalent. It is unknown whether recent trends in binge drinking among US women aged 30-49 differ by socio-economic status (SES). METHODS: We examined trends in binge drinking using nationally-representative National Health Interview Surveys (2006-2018) for women age 30-49 (N = 63,426), by education (college) and family income (<100 %, 100-199 %, 200-399 %, and >400 % of poverty line), controlling for age and race. RESULTS: The odds of binge drinking increased among all women approximately 7 % annually from 2006 to 2018. The magnitude of the change increased with education; the predicted probability of binge drinking among women at lowest levels of education increased from 10 % to 13 % from 2006 to 2018 (adjusted OR [AOR] 1.02, 95 % CI 0.99, 1.04), and those with the highest education from 13%-32% (AOR 1.10, 95 % CI 1.08-1.12). Women at the lowest income increased binge drinking from 12 % to 16 % (AOR 1.03, 95 % CI 1.01-1.05) and highest income from 17 % to 36 % (AOR 1.09, 95 % CI 1.07-1.10). Interactions between education (F8554, p < 0.001) and income (F8573, p < 0.001) with time confirmed slope differences. CONCLUSIONS: Nationally, women at all levels of SES increased binge drinking, but increases were most pronounced among high SES women.

Trends in Total Binge Drinks per Adult Who Reported Binge Drinking - United States, 2011-2017.

Each year, excessive drinking accounts for one in 10 deaths among U.S. adults aged 20-64 years (1), and approximately 90% of adults who report excessive drinking* binge drink (i.e., consume five or more drinks for men or four or more drinks for women on a single occasion) (2). In 2015, 17.1% of U.S. adults aged ≥18 years reported binge drinking approximately once a week and consumed an average of seven drinks per binge drinking episode, resulting in 17.5 billion total binge drinks, or 467 total binge drinks per adult who reported binge drinking (3). CDC analyzed 2011-2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data to assess trends in total annual binge drinks per adult who reported binge drinking in the United States overall and in the individual states. The age-adjusted† total annual number of binge drinks per adult who reported binge drinking increased significantly from 472 in 2011 to 529 in 2017. Total annual binge drinks per adult who reported binge drinking also increased significantly from 2011 to 2017 among those aged 35-44 years (26.7%, from 468 to 593) and 45-64 years (23.1%, from 428 to 527). The largest percentage increases in total binge drinks per adult who reported binge drinking during this period were observed among those without a high school diploma (45.8%) and those with household incomes <$25,000 (23.9%). Strategies recommended by the Community Preventive Services Task Force§ for reducing excessive drinking (e.g., regulating alcohol outlet density) might reduce binge drinking and related health risks.

Alcohol Binge Drinking and Anxiety-Like Behavior in Socialized Versus Isolated C57BL/6J Mice.

BACKGROUND: Binge alcohol drinking has been characterized as a key feature of alcoholism. The drinking-in-the-dark (DID) preclinical model, a procedure that promotes high levels of ethanol (EtOH) intake in short periods of time, has been extensively used to investigate neuropharmacological and genetic determinants of binge-like EtOH consumption. Using DID methodology, alcohol-preferring strains of mice such as C57BL/6J (B6) mice consume enough EtOH to achieve blood concentrations (≥1.0 mg/ml) associated with behavioral intoxication (i.e., motor incoordination). DID procedures typically involve the use of socially isolated animals (single-housed prior to and during the experiment). Previous research indicates that stress associated with social isolation can induce anxiety-like behavior and promote increases in EtOH intake. The present study investigates the role of housing conditions in anxiety-like behavior and binge-like EtOH intake using a DID procedure. METHODS: Male and female B6 mice were isolated or pair-housed for a period of 6 weeks prior to evaluation of anxiety-like (elevated plus maze, light and dark box, open field) and drinking (water, 10% sucrose, 10 to 30% EtOH) behavior. In order to measure intake, a variation of the standard DID procedure using a removable, transparent, and perforated plastic barrier strip (designed to temporarily divide the cage in 2) was introduced. This allowed for individual intake records (2-hour test) of isolated and socially housed animals. RESULTS: Increased anxiety-like behavior and reduced sucrose consumption were found in isolated mice. The effects of housing conditions on EtOH intake were sex- and concentration-dependent. In male mice, isolation increased 20 and 30% EtOH intake. In females, however, an increased intake of EtOH (30%) was found in socialized animals. No effects of housing or sex were found at EtOH 10%. CONCLUSIONS: Together with previous literature, the present study suggests that social isolation can promote anxiety-associated behavior and produce sex-dependent changes in binge-like EtOH consumption.

Distribution of Phosphatidylethanol in Maternal and Fetal Compartments After Chronic Gestational Binge Alcohol Exposure.

BACKGROUND: Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) is a promising biomarker for gestational alcohol exposure. Studies show PEth accumulation in maternal and fetal blood following alcohol exposure; however, distribution of specific PEth homologues (16:0/18:1, 16:0/18:2, 16:0/20:4) in maternal and fetal blood is unknown. Additionally, PEth levels in highly vulnerable FASD targets in maternal and fetal compartments remain unexplored. We hypothesized that all 3 major PEth homologues will be detectable in the maternal and fetal blood, the maternal uterine artery (a reproductive tissue that delivers oxygen and nutrients to fetoplacental unit), and fetal brain regions following gestational binge alcohol exposure and that homologue distribution profiles will be tissue-specific. METHODS: Pregnant rats received once-daily orogastric gavage of alcohol (Alcohol; BAC 216 mg/dl@4.5g/kg/d; BAC 289 mg/dl@6g/kg/d) or iso-caloric maltose dextrin (Pair-fed control) from gestation days (GD) 5 to 20 or 21. Following chronic exposure, maternal and fetal tissues were analyzed for PEth homologue concentrations utilizing LC-MS/MS technology. RESULTS: All 3 PEth homologues were detected in alcohol-exposed maternal blood, fetal blood, maternal uterine artery, and fetal brain regions (hippocampus, cerebral cortex, and cerebellum). In both maternal and fetal blood, respectively, PEth 16:0/18:2 was more abundant compared to 16:0/18:1 (p < 0.0001,~66%,↑; p = 0.0159, 20.4%↑) and 16:0/20:4 (p = 0.0072,~25%↑; p = 0.0187, 19.4%↑). Maternal PEth 16:0/20:4 was ~ 42% higher than 16:0/18:1 (p = 0.0015). Maternal PEth 16:0/18:2 and 16:0/20:4 were ~ 25%↑ and ~ 20%↑ higher than in fetal blood (p < 0.05). No homologue differences were detected in the maternal uterine artery. In all fetal brain regions, PEth 16:0/18:1 was significantly higher (p < 0.0001) than 16:0/18:2 (~48 to 78%↑) and 16:0/20:4 (~31 to 62%↑) concentrations. PEth 16:0/20:4 was ~ 18% higher than 16:0/18:1 (p < 0.05) in the fetal hippocampus and cortex. CONCLUSION: All major PEth homologues were detected in maternal and fetal blood following chronic gestational binge alcohol exposure; homologue distribution profiles were tissue-specific. This study also provides insights into PEth accumulation in critical FASD targets, specifically the maternal uterine artery and fetal brain.

Trends in college students' alcohol, nicotine, prescription opioid and other drug use after recreational marijuana legalization: 2008-2018.

BACKGROUND: Young adult college students may be particularly sensitive to recreational marijuana legalization (RML). Although evidence indicates the prevalence of marijuana use among college students increased after states instituted RML, there have been few national studies investigating changes in college students' other substance use post-RML. METHOD: The cross-sectional National College Health Assessment-II survey was administered twice yearly from 2008 to 2018 at four-year colleges and universities. Participants were 18-26 year old undergraduates attending college in states that did (n = 243,160) or did not (n = 624,342) implement RML by 2018. Outcome variables were self-reported nicotine use, binge drinking, illicit drug use, and misuse of prescription stimulants, sedatives, and opioids. Other variables included individual and contextual covariates, and institution-reported institutional and community covariates. Publicly available information was used to code state RML status at each survey administration. RESULTS: Accounting for state differences and time trends, RML was associated with decreased binge drinking prevalence among college students age 21 and older [OR (95% CI) = 0.91 (0.87 - 0.95), p < .0001] and increased sedative misuse among minors [OR (95% CI) = 1.20 (1.09 - 1.32), p = .0003]. RML did not disrupt secular trends in other substance use. CONCLUSIONS: In the context of related research showing national increases in college students' marijuana use prevalence and relative increases following state RML, we observed decreases in binge drinking and increases in sedative use that both depended on age. Findings support some specificity in RML-related changes in substance use trends and the importance of individual factors.

Tendência do beber episódico excessivo nas capitais brasileiras e no Distrito Federal, 2006-2018: um estudo ecológico de séries temporais / Tendencia del consumo episódico excesivo de alcohol en las capitales brasileñas y el Distrito Federal, 2006-2018: un estudio ecológico de series temporales / Heavy episodic drinking trends in the Brazilian state capitals and Federal District, 2006-2018: an ecological time series analysis*

Objetivo: Avaliar as tendências do beber episódico excessivo nas 26 capitais brasileiras e no Distrito Federal, geral e por sexo. Métodos:Estudo ecológico de séries temporais do padrão de beber episódico excessivo entre adultos, entre os anos de 2006 a 2018. Os dados foram obtidos da série histórica do Vigitel. Empregou-se regressão de Prais-Winsten. Resultados: No período estudado, observou-se tendência estacionária de beber episódico excessivo em 23 das 27 capitais brasileiras; na capital Macapá, observou-se diminuição dessa prática; e nas capitais São Paulo e Florianópolis, assim como no Distrito Federal, tendência crescente nesse consumo. Há importantes diferenças no beber episódico excessivo por sexo, com tendência de aumento entre mulheres em sete capitais. Conclusão: Não houve redução do beber episódico excessivo na maioria das capitais, evidenciando a urgência da implantação de intervenções visando reduzir o consumo de álcool na população brasileira.

Objetivo: Evaluar las tendencias del consumo episódico excesivo de alcohol en las 26 capitales brasileñas y el Distrito Federal, total y según el sexo. Métodos: Estudio ecológico de series temporales del patrón de consumo excesivo de alcohol episódico entre adultos, de 2006 a 2018. Los datos se obtuvieron de la serie histórica de Vigitel. Se utilizó la regresión de Prais-Winsten. Resultados: Se observó una tendencia estacionaria al consumo episódico excesivo de alcohol entre 2006 y 2018 en 23 de 27 de las capitales brasileñas; con excepción de Macapá donde hubo una disminución en esta práctica, y en las capitales São Paulo, Florianópolis y Distrito Federal, donde se encontró una tendencia creciente. Existen diferencias importantes por sexo, con aumento del consumo entre las mujeres en siete capitales. Conclusión: No hubo reducción en el consumo episódico excesivo de alcohol en la mayoría de las capitales, lo que demuestra la urgencia de implementar intervenciones para reducir el consumo de alcohol en la población brasileña.

Objective: To assess heavy episodic drinking trends in the 26 Brazilian state capitals and Federal District, overall and according to sex. Methods: This was an ecological time series study of heavy episodic drinking patterns among adults, from 2006 to 2018. The data were obtained from VIGITEL Survey time series. Prais-Winsten regression was used. Results: In the period studied a stationary heavy episodic drinking trend was found in 23 out of the 27 state capitals, with the exception of Macapá, where there was a decrease in this practice, and in São Paulo, Florianópolis and the Federal District, where an increase was found. There were important differences by sex in relation to heavy episodic drinking, with a tendency to increased consumption among women in seven state capitals. Conclusion: There was no reduction in heavy episodic drinking in most capitals, showing the urgency of implementing interventions to reduce alcohol consumption among the Brazilian population.

College attendance type and subsequent alcohol and marijuana use in the U.S.

BACKGROUND: College attendance is a risk factor for frequent and heavy drinking and marijuana initiation but less is known about the extent to which risk varies by type of college attendance and across age. METHODS: Using panel data of young adults who were high school seniors in 1990-1998 from the Monitoring the Future study (n = 13,123), we examined the associations between college attendance at age 19/20 (4-year college full-time, other college, and non-attendance) and subsequent alcohol and marijuana use at age 21/22, 25/26, 29/30 and 35. Inverse propensity score weighting was used to balance the three college groups on pre-existing differences when examining associations with substance use outcomes. RESULTS: Compared to non-attendance, attending a 4-year college full-time was associated with significantly greater odds of binge drinking at age 21/22 (aOR = 1.20) and 25/26 (aOR = 1.12) and lower odds of alcohol abstinence at age 35 (aOR = 0.51). Similarly, other college attendance was associated with greater odds of binge drinking at age 21/22 (aOR = 1.08) and 25/26 (aOR = 1.04) and lower odds of abstinence at age 35 (aOR = 0.70). Four-year college full-time attendance was associated with greater odds of marijuana use at age 21/22 (aOR = 1.07) and 25/26 (aOR = 1.02) but lower odds at age 29/30 (aOR = 0.99). Other college attendance was associated with lower odds of marijuana use at age 25/26 (aOR = 0.98) and 29/30 (aOR = 0.97). Marijuana use at age 35 did not differ by college attendance. CONCLUSIONS: College attendance may confer elevated risk of substance use post-college. The magnitude and duration of risk vary by type of college attendance and substance.

Alcohol use and binge drinking among U.S. men, pregnant and non-pregnant women ages 18-44: 2002-2017.

BACKGROUND: Drinking during pregnancy dropped sharply in the U.S. in the 1980s. More recent time trends in adult drinking and binge drinking in men, non-pregnant and pregnant women have not been directly compared. METHODS: Using logistic regression and National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) 2002-2017 data on any drinking and 2002-2014 data on binge drinking, trends in men, non-pregnant and pregnant women were compared. Analyses of any drinking included 470,309 participants (221,344 men; 236,197 non-pregnant women; 12,768 pregnant women); of binge drinking, 379,379 participants (178,869 men; 189,923 non-pregnant women; 10,587 pregnant women). RESULTS: In all participants, drinking decreased (62.2%-60.3%). Among adults ages 18-20, drinking decreased in men, non-pregnant women, and pregnant women (-18.4%; -11.1%; -5.3%), as did binge drinking (-11.8%; -5.6%; -3.7%). Among adults ages 21-44, drinking increased in non-pregnant women (+2.3%), and decreased in men and pregnant women (-2.6% and -3.3%), while binge drinking increased in non-pregnant women (+2.7%), but not in pregnant women (-1.8%) or men (0.0%). CONCLUSIONS: Drinking increased in U.S. women ages 21-44, but not those who were pregnant. Increases in women and continuing high rates in men indicate the need for better public health efforts. Divergent trends in men, non-pregnant, and pregnant women ages 21-44 suggest differential influences on drinking. Continued low rates in pregnant women are encouraging, but maintaining public health messages about drinking during pregnancy and innovative efforts to prevent such drinking are needed. Different results in ages 18-20 and 21-44 highlight the importance of developmental stages in drinking.

Trends in Alcohol Use Behaviors by Sexual Identity and Behavior Among High School Students, 2007-2017.

PURPOSE: Certain groups, particularly sexual minority youth, demonstrate notable disparities in alcohol use risk. Assessing trends in alcohol use behaviors by sexual orientation over time is therefore important to the epidemiologic study of adolescent health equity. METHODS: We analyzed age at first drink, lifetime drinking behavior, current drinking, and binge drinking in a large, national sample of high school youth across six time points, beginning in 2007 and biennially through 2017. We assessed trends by sex, sexual identity, and sexual behavior, controlling for race/ethnicity and age. RESULTS: Our results demonstrated that, although overall alcohol use is decreasing among youth, disparities between heterosexual and sexual minority youth remain significant. The largest decreases were seen in current alcohol use among lesbian youth, which fell from a prevalence of 56.1% in 2007 to 38.9% in 2017, and among bisexual females (64.3% in 2007 to 41.1% in 2017). Despite this, alcohol use behaviors were still elevated among lesbian and bisexual female youth compared with heterosexual sex-matched counterparts. Heterosexual-identified male students saw significant decreases in alcohol use, whereas most alcohol use behaviors among sexual minority males decreased but not to a statistically significant degree, with the exception of binge drinking among those who identified as gay (2007: 36.0% to 2017: 12.6%) and bisexual (2007: 24.7% to 2017: 11.6%). Results by sexual behavior are presented within. CONCLUSIONS: Sexual minority youth continued to demonstrate markedly high prevalence of alcohol use behaviors compared with heterosexual peers across all time points. Downward trends in alcohol use may thus mask serious population health risks if not adequately explored. Research and health promotion efforts must consider sexual minority orientation to avoid incomplete or inaccurate representation of findings.

Immigration and the decline in adolescent binge drinking.

BACKGROUND: Adolescent alcohol consumption has fallen in most Western countries over the past two decades, while immigrants and children of immigrants from low-consumption countries constitute a growing proportion of teenagers in many Western nations. We investigate the extent to which immigrants and children of immigrants have contributed to the decline in adolescent heavy episodic drinking in Oslo, the capital of Norway. METHODS: We use repeated cross-sectional survey data on adolescents in grades 9-11 in Oslo (aged around 14-16, N = 54,474) from 1996 to 2018. We use data on heavy episodic drinking/intoxication in the past 12 months (dichotomized), immigrant background, sex and grade. We decompose the trend into components attributable to changes in the demographic composition of the adolescent population (by immigrant background, grade and sex), and to changes in drinking patterns within different groups. Confidence intervals (CIs) are obtained by bootstrap resampling. RESULTS: The proportion of adolescents with immigrant backgrounds increased from 21% to 35% over the time span. The proportion reporting having been intoxicated fell from 42% to 25%. Most of the decline stems from reduced heavy episodic drinking in the majority population, accounting for 70.8% of the reduction (95% CI: 67.5-74.2). The increased proportion of adolescents with an immigrant background accounts for 21.4% of the decline (95% CI: 19.2-23.8). CONCLUSIONS: An increasing proportion of immigrants and children of immigrants with low alcohol consumption explains one-fifth of the decline in the prevalence of adolescent heavy episodic drinking in Oslo.

Binge Drinking and Prescription Opioid Misuse in the U.S., 2012-2014.

INTRODUCTION: Prescription opioids were responsible for approximately 17,000 deaths in the U.S. in 2016. One in five prescription opioid deaths also involve alcohol. Drinkers who misuse prescription opioids (i.e., use without a prescription or use only for the experience or feeling it causes) are at a heightened risk of overdose. However, little is known about the relationship between drinking patterns and prescription opioid misuse. METHODS: Data were analyzed from 160,812 individuals (aged ≥12 years) who responded to questions about prescription opioid misuse and alcohol consumption in the 2012, 2013, or 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (analyzed in 2017-2018). The prevalence of self-reported past-30-days prescription opioid misuse was assessed by sociodemographic characteristics, other substance use (i.e., cigarettes, marijuana), and drinking patterns. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to calculate AORs. RESULTS: From 2012 to 2014, 1.6% (95% CI=1.5, 1.7) of all individuals aged ≥12 years (estimated 4.2 million) and 3.5% (95% CI=3.3, 3.8) of binge drinkers (estimated 2.2 million) reported prescription opioid misuse. Prescription opioid misuse was more common among binge drinkers than among nondrinkers (AOR=1.7, 95% CI=1.5, 1.9). Overall, the prevalence of prescription opioid misuse increased significantly with binge drinking frequency (p-value<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: More than half of the 4.2 million people who misused prescription opioids during 2012-2014 were binge drinkers, and binge drinkers had nearly twice the odds of misusing prescription opioids, compared with nondrinkers. Widespread use of evidence-based strategies for preventing binge drinking might reduce opioid misuse and overdoses involving alcohol.

Adult-Life Alcohol Consumption and Age-Related Cognitive Decline from Early Adulthood to Late Midlife.

AIMS: Alcohol consumption is a modifiable and plausible risk factor for age-related cognitive decline but more longitudinal studies investigating the association are needed. Our aims were to estimate associations of adult-life alcohol consumption and consumption patterns with age-related cognitive decline. METHODS: We investigated the associations of self-reported adult-life weekly alcohol consumption and weekly extreme binge drinking (≥10 units on the same occasion) with changes in test scores on an identical validated test of intelligence completed in early adulthood and late midlife in 2498 Danish men from the Lifestyle and Cognition Follow-up study 2015. Analyses were adjusted for year of birth, retest interval, baseline IQ, education and smoking. RESULTS: Men with adult-life alcohol consumption of more than 28 units/week had a larger decline in IQ scores from early adulthood to late midlife than men consuming 1-14 units/week (B29-35units/week = -3.6; P < 0.001). Likewise, a 1-year increase in weekly extreme binge drinking was associated with a 0.12-point decline in IQ scores (P < 0.001). Weekly extreme binge drinking explained more variance in IQ changes than average weekly consumption. In analyses including mutual adjustment of weekly extreme binge drinking and average weekly alcohol consumption, the estimated IQ decline associated with extreme binge drinking was largely unaffected, whereas the association with weekly alcohol consumption became non-significant. CONCLUSIONS: Adult-life heavy alcohol consumption and extreme binge drinking appear to be associated with larger cognitive decline in men. Moreover, extreme binge drinking may be more important than weekly alcohol consumption in relation to cognitive decline.

Shifting Age of Peak Binge Drinking Prevalence: Historical Changes in Normative Trajectories Among Young Adults Aged 18 to 30.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the extent to which the developmental pattern of prevalence of binge drinking in the past 2 weeks from ages 18 through 30 has changed across 29 cohorts of U.S. young adults, and whether the changes differed by gender. METHODS: Analyses used national longitudinal data from 58,019 12th-grade students (from graduating high school classes 1976 to 2004) participating in the Monitoring the Future study followed through modal age 30 (with age 29/30 data collected from 1987 to 2016). Weighted time-varying effect modeling was used to model cohort group differences in age-related patterns of binge drinking. RESULTS: The age of peak binge drinking prevalence increased across cohorts (from age 20 in 1976 to 1985 to 22 in 1996 to 2004 for women, and from 21 in 1976 to 1985 to 23 in 1996 to 2004 for men). Historical change in the developmental pattern of binge drinking across all ages of young adulthood differed for men and women. Even after controlling for key covariates, women in the more recent cohort group reported significantly higher binge drinking prevalence than women in earlier cohorts from ages 21 through 30. Men in the more recent cohort group reported higher binge drinking prevalence at ages 25 to 26, but prevalence levels then converged to those seen in earlier cohort groups by age 30. CONCLUSIONS: An older age of peak binge drinking and a decreased rate of decline in the prevalence of binge drinking in later young adulthood among more recent cohorts have resulted in an extension of individual and societal risks associated with binge drinking, particularly for women, across young adulthood. High-risk alcohol use prevention efforts are needed throughout at least the third decade of life.

The Epidemiology of Binge Drinking Among College-Age Individuals in the United States.

Rates of alcohol consumption continue to be a concern, particularly for individuals who are college age. Drinking patterns have changed over time, with the frequency of binge drinking (consuming four/five or more drinks for women/men) remaining high (30% to 40%). Young adults in the college age range are developmentally and socially at higher risk for drinking at binge levels. Changes in autonomy, parental control, norms, and attitudes affect binge drinking behaviors. This article reviews those changes, as well as the individual and environmental factors that increase or decrease the risk of participating in binge drinking behaviors. Risk factors include risky drinking events (e.g., 21st birthdays), other substance use, and drinking to cope, while protective factors include religious beliefs, low normative perceptions of drinking, and use of protective behavioral strategies. Additionally, this article discusses the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive consequences of consuming alcohol at binge levels. Alcohol policies and prevention and intervention techniques need to incorporate these factors to reduce experiences of alcohol-related problems. Targeting policy changes and prevention and intervention efforts toward young adults may increase effectiveness and prevent both short- and long-term consequences of binge drinking.

Heavy, Problematic College Drinking Predicts Increases in Impulsivity.

OBJECTIVE: Impulsigenic personality traits are among the many factors demonstrated to predict drinking behavior among late adolescents. The current study tested the opposite possibility, that during the emerging adulthood developmental period, problematic drinking behavior predicts increases in impulsigenic traits. This possibility is important because such traits increase risk for multiple forms of dysfunction. METHOD: Using a prospective design, we studied the personality traits and drinking behavior of 458 traditional college freshmen over one year. RESULTS: We found that drinking problems predicted increases in urgency (the tendency to act rashly when highly emotional), lack of planning (the tendency to act without forethought), and lack of perseverance (difficulty maintaining focus on a task). CONCLUSIONS: Maladaptive personality change may be one mechanism that increases risk transdiagnostically for some individuals who drink problematically during college. Increases in impulsigenic traits predictable from problem drinking put individuals at risk for not only more drinking, but a host of other negative outcomes.

Trends in Adult Alcohol Use and Binge Drinking in the Early 21st-Century United States: A Meta-Analysis of 6 National Survey Series.

BACKGROUND: Recent trends in alcoholic liver disease, alcohol-related emergency room admissions, and alcohol use disorder prevalence as measured by general-population surveys have raised concerns about rising alcohol-related morbidity and mortality in the United States. In contrast, upward trends in per capita alcohol consumption have been comparatively modest. METHODS: To resolve these discordant observations, we sought to examine trends in the prevalence of alcohol use and binge drinking from 6 regularly or periodically administered national surveys using a meta-analytic approach. Annual or periodic prevalence estimates for past-12-month or past-30-day alcohol use and binge drinking were estimated for available time points between the years 2000 and 2016. Estimates were combined in a random-effects regression model in which prevalence was modeled as a log-linear function of time to obtain meta-analytic trend estimates for the full population and by sex, race, age, and educational attainment. RESULTS: Meta-analysis-derived estimates of average annual percentage increase in the prevalence of alcohol use and binge drinking were 0.30% per year (95% CI: 0.22%, 0.38%) and 0.72% per year (95% CI: 0.46%, 0.98%), respectively. There was substantial between-survey heterogeneity among trend estimates, although there was notable consistency in the degree to which trends have impacted various demographic groups. For example, most surveys found that the changes in prevalence for alcohol use and binge drinking were large and positive for ages 50 to 64 and 65 and up, and smaller, negative, or nonsignificant for ages 18 to 29. CONCLUSIONS: Significant increases in the prevalence of alcohol use and of binge drinking over the past 10 to 15 years were observed, but not for all demographic groups. However, the increase in binge drinking among middle-aged and older adults is substantial and may be driving increasing rates of alcohol-related morbidity and mortality.