To the Editor: In their article on binge drinking among US adults Dr Naimi and colleagues1 defined binge drinking as "the consumption of 5 or more alcoholic beverages on one occasion." Although this definition of abusive drinking is frequently used in research, it may have little clinical relevance.
First, this definition does not account for the drinker's weight or drinking history, the time period over which the alcohol was consumed, or whether any food was eaten during the drinking episode. Not surprisingly, studies have demonstrated that a sizeable percentage of so-called binge drinkers fail to reach blood alcohol concentrations of 0.06% or higher.2 - 3
Second, their definition does not conform to the clinical meaning of binge drinking, which refers to an intermittent yet prolonged episode of alcohol abuse.4 The popular concept of binge drinking is similar. Consequently, the public can misinterpret headlines about binge drinking research and develop an exaggerated view of the problem. In turn, this can lead young people to perceive greater social pressure to drink heavily on a more regular basis.5
Third, any definition of high-risk drinking that uses a fixed cutoff point implies that alcohol consumption below that level is safe, when for many people it is not. This problem cannot be remedied by adjusting the cutoff point to a lower level, as that would make exaggeration of the problem even more extreme.
With these concerns in mind, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), the lead federal agency for research on alcohol abuse prevention and treatment, has not endorsed the 5-plus drinks definition of binge drinking.6
How should problem drinking be assessed? Diagnostic tests (eg, the Michigan Alcohol Screening Test) generally do not ask about the quantity of alcohol consumed, but rather the extent to which alcohol interferes with a person's family, social, and work life. Similarly, when trying to describe alcohol problems in the general population, researchers should avoid the convenient but ultimately misleading shorthand of number of drinks consumed and focus instead on drinking's negative consequences in people's lives.
Country-Specific Mortality and Growth Failure in Infancy and Yound Children and Association With Material Stature
Use interactive graphics and maps to view and sort country-specific infant and early dhildhood mortality and growth failure data and their association with maternal
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