High-Intensity Drinking Among Young Adults in the United States: Prevalence, Frequency, and Developmental Change

Abstract

Background: This study is the first to examine the developmental course of high-intensity drinking (i.e., consuming 10+ drinks in a row) across late adolescence and the transition to adulthood.

Methods: National longitudinal data (N = 3,718) from Monitoring the Future were used to examine trajectories of 10+ high-intensity drinking from age 18 through 25/26 overall and across sociodemographic subgroups; results were compared with similar analysis of 5+ binge drinking trajectories.

Results: Results document that 10+ drinkers consume not just a greater quantity of alcohol on a given drinking occasion, but also engage in 5+ drinking more frequently than drinkers who do not report having 10 or more drinks. Developmental patterns for 10+ and 5+ drinking were similar, with peak frequencies reported at age 21/22. Greater peaks in both 10+ and 5+ drinking were documented among men and among college attenders, compared with women and nonattenders, respectively. However, there was a steeper decline in 10+ drinking after age 21/22, indicating that risk for consumption of 10 or more drinks in a row is more clearly focused on the early 20s. Patterns of developmental change in both behaviors were driven largely by college students: No significant age-related change in 10+ drinking was observed among men and women who did not go to college, and no significant age-related change in 5+ drinking was observed among female nonattenders.

Conclusions: Findings underscore the importance of recognizing high-intensity drinkers as a unique high-risk group, and that college attendance is associated with particularly strong peaks in the developmental course of high-intensity drinking.

Keywords: Binge Drinking; College Attendance; Development; Extreme Binge Drinking; High-Intensity; Trajectories.

Figure 1. Comparing Frequency of Past 2-Week 5+ Binge Drinking among U.S. Young Adults Based on 10+ High-Intensity Drinking Participation

Note: Frequency range of (0) none, (1) once, (2) twice, (3) 3–5 times, (4) 6–9 times, (5) 10 or more times. 5+ drinks (High-intensity drinkers) = mean frequency of 5+ drinks if respondent reported any 10+ drinking. 5–9 drinks (Binge but not high-intensity drinkers) = mean frequency of 5+ drinks if respondent reported 5+ but not 10+ drinking.

Figure 2. Estimated Trajectories of Past 2-Week 10+ High-Intensity and 5+ Binge Drinking Frequency among U.S. Young Adults

Notes: Model fit statistics reported in Table 1 for overall trajectories and in Table 2 for trajectories by gender and college status.