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College Men Drink Even More Than Thought

Many Drink at Dangerous Levels

By , About.com Guide

Updated September 10, 2004

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

Binge drinking is defined as having five or more drinks in a row, but male college students drink far more than that -- as many as 24 drinks in a row -- according to a new research study.

The Prevention Research Center of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation surveyed 1,000 male college students and found they reported drinking a lot more heavily when they party than most previous studies have indicated.

"These are levels of drinking at which most men will have passed out or become comatose," said Paul Gruenewald, who led the study. "These are levels at which drinkers are at risk for the very serious problems posed by peak drinking, including alcohol poisoning."

"When you see just how much some students may drink, it's easier to understand how these young people may suffer from many alcohol-related accidents and injuries, some as simple as falling out of a dormitory window," Gruenewald said.

The survey found that about 10 percent of the time, college students had "only" 12 or more drinks during a single session. Women were not included in the survey, which was funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Source: Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation

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