Study: Regular Alcohol Consumption Leads To Binge Drinking
A new study made by researchers at the University of Montreal and University of Western Ontario showed regular alcohol consumption increases the chance of binge drinking.
The report, published in the journal Addiction, was based on close monitoring of 11,000 Canadian respondents the past year of their alcohol drinking habits and patterns. The 11,000 was divided into 5,743 females and 4,723 males.
The tendency to engage in binge drinking was common among regular drinkers across both genders and different age groups. The study also discovered that occasional drinkers usually do not go beyond two servings of alcoholic beverages.
University of Montreal sociology professor Andree Demeers explained in a statement, “The relationship between drinking frequently and consumption per occasion might be both cultural and biological…. The Canadian drinking culture has a ‘time-out’ depiction of drinking. Alcohol is a boundary mark between week and weekend, work and leisure, and therefore between routine and time off.”
The study used the benchmark 5 ounces of wine, 1.5 oz. of liquor, 12 oz. of beer or cooler, and 3 oz. of port, sherry or vermouth as one drink. The average Canadian drinks daily for the spirit’s mood-altering effect.
Lead author Catherine Paradis, a University of Montreal doctoral candidate, said, “Regular drinking builds up tolerance, therefore daily drinkers will need more than their usual drink or two to make a difference with everyday life and gain that festive feeling.”
Paradis added, “That fosters drinking beyond healthy limits – at least sporadically and perhaps weekly – to five drinks or more per occasion. And five units is above the recommended limits of healthy drinking.”
source: AHN
