Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
A legal drinking age for the buying or consuming of alcohol is in place in many of the world's countries, typically with the intent to protect the young from alcohol-related harm. [9] This age varies between countries; for example, the legal drinking age for Australia is 18, whereas the legal drinking age in the United States is 21. [9]
Why some parents let their teens drink alcohol at home. (Getty Images) (Ippei Naoi via Getty Images) In the United States, the national legal drinking age is 21 years old and has been so since 1984.
Risky drinking (also called hazardous drinking) is defined by drinking above the recommended limits: greater than 14 standard drinks units per week or greater than 4 standard drinks on a single occasion in men [10] greater than 7 standard drinks units per week or greater than 3 standard drinks on a single occasion in women [10]
Regular heavy drinking and heavy episodic drinking (also called binge drinking), entailing four or more standard alcoholic drinks (a pint of beer or 50 ml drink of a spirit such as whisky corresponds to about two units of alcohol) on any one occasion, pose the greatest risk for harm, but lesser amounts can cause problems as well. [55]
The risk of alcohol dependence begins at low levels of drinking and increases directly with both the volume of alcohol consumed and a pattern of drinking larger amounts on an occasion, to the point of intoxication, which is sometimes called binge drinking. Binge drinking is the most common pattern of alcoholism.
One expert reveals the three mistakes you're definitely making.
For premium support please call: 800-290-4726 more ways to reach us
Researchers also classify particularly severe binge drinking, called high-intensity drinking, as consuming at least 8 to 12 drinks in a day. [21] Although most people do not drink or do not exceed moderate levels of alcohol consumption, about half of binge drinkers engage in high-intensity drinking at least some times. [ 22 ]