Binge Drinking: These Days, Women Are Consuming A Lot More Alcohol

New findings published in the American Journal of Public Health reveal a substantial increase in the amount of drinking among women.

As binge drinking is defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as the consumption of 5 or more drinks for men or 4 or more drinks for women in 2 hours, health officials find the new information particularly troubling. While men's rate of drinking increased by 23 percent, women's rate rose to 36 percent.

"It seems like women are trying to catch up to the men in binge drinking. It's really, really scary," said study leader Ali Mokdad via Kaiser Health.

Researchers have found that much of the increase can be explained today's societal norms, according to Tom Greenfield of the Alcohol Research Group at Oakland, California-based Public Health Institute.

Alcohol abuse continues to be a problem in the United States and many other countries, with over 88,000 related deaths annually. 

Yet findings in the journal Lancet Oncology reveal the dangers of excessive drinking, particularly for women. Numerous health issues come with excessive consumption, yet research also suggests that drinking too much could even increase the risk of breast cancer. Women are also more likely to be sexually assaulted when intoxicated than male counterparts. 

Everything in moderation is always a good idea.