Wednesday, April 30, 2014

College-age Women Are Heaviest Binge Drinkers, by Mikayla Peters



College-age women, age 18-24, have the highest rate of binge drinking. One in four college-age women admit to binge drinking in the nation.

Wisconsin ranks first in the nation for binge drinking, according to the Changing the Culture of Risky Drinking Behavior Coalition's report. LaCrosse county has one of the highest rates of binge drinking in the state.

According to the study, 35% of adults in LaCrosse binge drink on a regular basis. 36% of college students in LaCrosse binge drink. One in five high-school students in LaCrosse admits  to binge drinking.
A nationwide study shows one in eight women binge drinks.

Binge drinking is consuming four or more drinks in one sitting for women, five or more for men. The CDC did a study that showed the women consume six drinks in one sitting, three times per month.

71% of UW-L students use alcohol once a week, according to a UW-L survey. 10% admit to binge drinking. UW-L offers resources to students with drinking problems, including the Counseling & Testing Center or the Wellness Resource Center.


Rehabs.com claimed UW-L was first in the nation for alcohol arrests in 2012. Joe Gow, the chancellor at UW-L, said that Oktoberfest may have an impact on the arrests and drinking. He also said, "I really don't think the alcohol situation here at UW-L is any worse or any better than it is at the other places I've been."