Binge drinking, defined as five or more alcoholic beverages for men and four or more for women consumed within a two-hour time span, is noted as an increasingly dangerous activity, according to Cbsnews.com.
According to researchers, one in six US adults consumes an average of seven drinks per "binge" session.
"This study shows that binge drinkers are consuming a huge number of drinks per year, greatly increasing their chances of harming themselves and others," stated study co-author Dr. Robert Brewer, the lead researcher in CDC's alcohol program.
"The findings also show the importance of taking a comprehensive approach to prevent binge drinking, focusing on reducing both the number of times people binge drink and the amount they drink when they binge," he added.
In addition, more than half of the binge drinks consumed during the study were by adults age 35 or older. Binge drinking was also much more common in men than women, with the study noting four out of five binge drinks in the US are consumed by men.
Those drinkers who consumed the most alcohol were in Arkansas, Mississippi, Kentucky and Hawaii. Binge drinking was least common in Washington DC, New Jersey, New York and Washington state.
The report also revealed that binge drinking was most prevalent among those with lower incomes and lower educational levels.
According to the CDC, excessive alcohol use is connected to cancer, heart disease and liver failure. In the US, 88,000 deaths are year are connected to alcohol abuse. About 50 percent of all alcohol abuse-related deaths are a result of binge drinking.
