A new research reveals that in the United States, women are now drinking much like men. Even though, generally speaking, men's drinking habits in terms of quantity and frequency outmatch ladies', the gap between is increasing.
"We found that over that period of time, differences in measures such as current drinking, number of drinking days per month, reaching criteria for an alcohol use disorder, and driving under the influence of alcohol in the past year, all narrowed for females and males," NIAAA's senior scientific adviser Aaron White said. "Males still consume more alcohol, but the differences between men and women are diminishing."
The study obtained data from annual national surveys from 2002 to 2012. Researchers found that in the past three decades, alcohol consumption of men and women is indirectly proportional. Put into figures, alcohol consumption in women increased from 44.9 to 48.3 percent, whereas in men, a decline was seen from 57.4 to 56.1 percent. Likewise, in terms of counting the "drinking days," women shoot up from 6.8 to 7.3 days, while men stepped down from 9.9 to 9.5 per month.
Rationale behind the gradual alterations in pattern is not clear yet and could not be accounted for recent trends like pregnancy, employment and marital status, researchers said. "This study confirms what other recent reports have suggested about changing patterns of alcohol use by men and women in the US," NIAAA director George Koob stated.
Meanwhile, binge drinking among women not in college from 18 to 25 years skyrocketed to 32.6 from 29.1 percent and decreased from 49.8 to 45.4 percent in men. While no drinking habit changes were seen in binge drinking prevalence in both genders for those in college.
CDC reports that women's bodies are vulnerable than men to the long-term side effects of alcohol. In fact, women metabolize alcohol slower. Because of this, Koob voiced concern over the "particularly concerning" risks like liver inflammation, cardiovascular disease and cancer.
