What’s considered ‘excessive drinking’?
By Amanda Keim-Morrison
April 4, 2015
While most people drink responsibly, more people drink to excess than you might think – a November study found one in three Americans drinks excessively, but only 10.2 percent of those who drink too much are alcoholics, or dependent on alcohol.
Additionally, an estimated 16.6 million Americans have an alcohol use disorder, and close to a quarter of Americans reported binge drinking in the past month, which is defined as having five or more drinks in one sitting, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) says. Such statistics are what’s prompting the NIAAA to invite Americans to evaluate their drinking habits during April, which is Alcohol Awareness Month.