Research conducted by the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) has shown that there has been a substantial increase of binge drinking in men and women between 2002 and 2012.
The study called attention to a troubling trend, as it revealed that men's rate of drinking increased by 23 percent, while the women's rate rose by 36 percent.
"It seems like women are trying to catch up to the men in binge drinking. It's really, really scary," study leader Ali Mokdad told Kaiser Health.
Binge drinking, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is when "men consume 5 or more drinks, and when women consume 4 or more drinks, in about 2 hours."
According to the study, the change in women's drinking habits have largely been driven by changes in the social norm as well. Women drinking almost as much alcohol as men is generally more accepted today, observed Tom Greenfield from the Alcohol Research Group at the Oakland, California-based Public Health Institute.
But the results do not surprise Terri Fukagawa, who works at the New Life Recovery Centers in San Jose, California, as a clinical director. Fukagawa noted that more and more people are seeking treatment for alcoholism in their facility in the last 4 years.
Alcohol consumption contributes to more than 88,000 deaths each year in America, the CDC said. The danger of this in women could result in increased breast cancer risk, based on a study by Lancet Oncology. While findings are mixed, alcohol may affect fertility, too. Women are also at a greater risk for sexual assault when intoxicated, according to the Journal of Studies on Alcohol.
The IHME research was done based on the data gathered by the CDC among 3.7 million Americans aged 21 and over.
The study was published in the American Journal of Public Health.
