Binge drinking is the behavior of drinking a lot of alcohol in a very limited time. This behavior is common in teens, who see it as a festive way to lift their inhibitions. But according to the US Center for Disease Research (CDC), this behavior is now spreading to all age groups, including seniors.
Binge drinjking causes a high influx of alcohol into the body, which disrupts certain areas of the brain that are essential for regulating heart rate, body temperature or breathing. This disturbance can sometimes lead to death. It is estimated that binge drinking kills around 2,200 people per year in the United States, or 6 people every day on average.
According to this new CDC report, about 38 million Americans binge drinking at least four times a month. They then drink an average of 8 glasses of alcohol. Among these drinkers, the most vulnerable are not young people but adults aged 35 to 64. And 76% of those who die from it are men. However, the figures vary by state. For example, in Alaska this form of alcohol poisoning causes 46.5 deaths per million people, while in Alabama the number of deaths is only 5.3 per million people.
“Binge drinking deaths are a heartbreaking reminder of the dangers of heavy drinking, which is a leading cause of preventable death in the United States,” CDC Deputy Director Ileana Arias said in a statement.
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