Preventing Excessive Alcohol Use
Excessive alcohol use is the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States and is a risk factor for many health and societal problems. Among adults, it can take the form of heavy drinking, binge drinking, or both.
- Heavy drinking is defined as more than two drinks per day on average for men or more than one drink per day on average for women.
- Binge drinking is defined as 5 or more drinks during a single occasion for men or 4 or more drinks during a single occasion for women.
Underage drinking can also be considered a form of excessive drinking because it is both illegal and often involves consumption in quantities and settings that can lead to serious immediate and long-term consequences.
- Approximately 5% of the total population drinks heavily and 15% of the population engages in binge drinking (CDC).
- People aged 12 to 20 years drink 11% of all alcohol consumed in the United States. More than 90% of this alcohol is used in the form of binge drinks (OJJDP).
Task Force Recommendations & Findings
This table lists interventions reviewed by the Community Guide, with Task Force findings for each (definitions of findings). Click on an underlined intervention title for a summary of the review.
| Interventions directed to the general population | |
| Regulation of alcohol outlet density | Recommended |
| Privatization of retail sales | Insufficient evidence |
| Maintaining limits on days of sale | Recommended |
| Increasing alcohol taxes | Recommended |
| Interventions directed to underage drinkers | |
| Enhanced enforcement of laws prohibiting sales to minors | Recommended |
| Maintaining limits on hours of alcohol sale in establishments that serve alcohol | Recommended |
Related Topics
Disclaimer
The findings and conclusions on this page are those of the authors and the Task Force on Community Preventive Services and do not necessarily represent the official position of CDC.
Sample Citation
The content of publications of the Guide to Community Preventive Services is in the public domain. Citation as to source, however, is appreciated. Sample citation: Guide to Community Preventive Services. Preventing excessive alcohol use. www.thecommunityguide.org/alcohol.html. Last updated: MM/DD/YYYY.
- Page last reviewed: August 17, 2009
- Page last updated: January 5, 2010
- Content source: The Guide to Community Preventive Services
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The Guide to Clinical Preventive Services
Together, the Community Guide and the Clinical Guide provide evidence-based recommendations across the prevention spectrum.Contact Us:
- Community Guide Branch
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Mailstop E-69
Atlanta, GA 30333 - Community Guide
