N ational S urvey on D rug Use and H ealth

The NSDUH Report August 26, 2005

Binge Alcohol Use among

Persons Aged 12 to 20: 2002
and 2003 Update
R
esearch has shown that
In Brief persons who engage in binge
alcohol use as teenagers are at
● In 2002 and 2003, increased risk for binge drinking as young
approximately 7.2 million adults.1 The National Survey on Drug Use
persons (19.2 percent) and Health (NSDUH) asks respondents
aged 12 to 20 were past aged 12 or older to report their frequency
month binge alcohol users and quantity of alcohol use during the
month before the survey. NSDUH defines
● Binge alcohol use rates for binge alcohol use as drinking five or more
persons aged 12 to 20 were drinks on the same occasion (i.e., at the
among the lowest in Utah same time or within a couple of hours of
(13.7 percent) and among each other) on at least 1 day in the past 30
the highest in North Dakota days. All findings presented in this report
are annual averages based on combined
(32.5 percent)
2002 and 2003 NSDUH data.
● Among persons aged 12
to 20 who reported past Prevalence of Binge Alcohol Use
month binge alcohol use, In 2002 and 2003, approximately 7.2
approximately half (50.6 million (19.2 percent) persons aged 12 to
percent) reported binge 20 reported past month binge alcohol use.
alcohol use on 3 or more Adults aged 21 or older were more likely
days per month to be binge alcohol users than persons
aged 12 to 20 (23.4 vs. 19.2 percent). The
The NSDUH Report (formerly The NHSDA Report) is published periodically by the Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration (SAMHSA). All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission
from SAMHSA. Additional copies of this report or other reports from the Office of Applied Studies are available online: http://www.oas.samhsa.gov
Citation of the source is appreciated. For questions about this report, please e-mail: shortreports@samhsa.hhs.gov
NSDUH REPORT: BINGE ALCOHOL USE AMONG PERSONS AGED 12 TO 20: 2002 AND 2003 UPDATE AUGUST 26, 2005

percentage of persons aged 12

to 20 who were binge alcohol Figure 1. Percentages of Persons Aged 12 to 20 and Aged 21 or Older
Reporting Past Month Binge Alcohol Use,* by Age: 2002 and 2003
users increased with age, from
0.8 percent of 12 year olds to
50%
40.1 percent of 20 year olds
(Figure 1). 40.1
40% 37.3
Males aged 12 to 20 and
32.0
21 or older were more likely
30%
to be binge alcohol users in 24.7
23.4
the past month than females
20% 17.9
of the same age (Figure 2).
Females aged 12 to 20 were 11.6
more likely to have engaged in 10% 7.0

binge alcohol use than females 2.5

0.8
aged 21 or older, while males 0%
12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 or
aged 12 to 20 were less likely Older
to have engaged in binge
drinking than males aged 21
or older. Figure 2. Percentages of Persons Reporting Past Month Binge Alcohol
Use,* by Age Group and Gender: 2002 and 2003

State Estimates of 40% Male

Binge Alcohol Use Female
32.9
Binge alcohol use rates for
30%
persons aged 12 to 20 were
among the lowest in Utah 21.8
(13.7 percent) and among the 20%
highest in North Dakota (32.5 16.6
14.7
percent). The Southeast and
West Coast States had lower 10%
rates of binge alcohol use than
States in other regions. Figure
3 illustrates State differences 0%
in the rate of binge alcohol use Aged 12 to 20 Aged 21 or Older

among persons 12 to 20 years

old. States with the highest
estimates fall into the top
quintile (fifth) and are shown
in red; States with the lowest
estimates are in the bottom
quintile and are shown in
blue.
females. Binge drinking on
Frequency of Past
3 or more days in the past
Month Binge Alcohol month was reported by 56.1
Use among Binge percent of males compared
Drinkers Aged 12 to 20 with 43.4 percent of females
Among persons aged 12 to 20 (Figure 4).
who engaged in binge alcohol Among binge drinkers aged
use in the past month, males 12 to 20, 49.3 percent reported
did so on more days than binge alcohol use on 1 or 2
AUGUST 26, 2005 NSDUH REPORT: BINGE ALCOHOL USE AMONG PERSONS AGED 12 TO 20: 2002 AND 2003 UPDATE

The National Survey on Drug Use and

Figure 3. Percentages of Persons Aged 12 to 20 Reporting Past Month Health (NSDUH) is an annual survey
Binge Alcohol Use, by State: 2002 and 2003 sponsored by the Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA). Prior to 2002, this survey was
called the National Household Survey on
Drug Abuse (NHSDA). The 2002 data are
based on information obtained from 68,126
persons aged 12 or older, including
32,787 persons aged 12 to 20. The 2003
data are based on information obtained
from 67,784 persons aged 12 or older,
including 31,475 persons aged 12 to 20.
The survey collects data by administering
questionnaires to a representative sample
of the population through face-to-face
Percentages interviews at their place of residence.
of Persons The NSDUH Report is prepared by the
24.2 – 32.5 Office of Applied Studies (OAS), SAMHSA,
21.7 – 24.0 and by RTI International in Research
19.7 – 21.6 Triangle Park, North Carolina. (RTI
17.0 – 19.3 International is a trade name of Research
13.7 – 16.9 Triangle Institute.)
Information and data for this issue are
based on the following publication and
statistics:
Figure 4. Percentage of Binge Drinkers Aged 12-20 by Number of Office of Applied Studies. (2004). Results
Occasions of Binge Drinking in Past Month, Gender, and Age Group: from the 2003 National Survey on Drug
2002 and 2003 Use and Health: National findings (DHHS
Publication No. SMA 04-3964, NSDUH
1 or 2 Days 3 or 4 Days 5 or 6 Days 7 or More Days Series H-25). Rockville, MD: Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services
100% Administration.
15.9 14.5 Also available online:
23.9 24.0
http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/nsduh.htm
80% 9.6 9.7
Because of improvements and
12.9 12.5 modifications to the 2002 NSDUH,
17.9 18.9
estimates from the 2002 and 2003
60%
18.6 surveys should not be compared with
19.3
estimates from the 2001 or earlier versions
of the survey to examine changes over
40% time.
56.6 56.9
20% 43.9 44.8
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration
Office of Applied Studies
www.samhsa.gov
0%
Males Females Aged 12 to 17 Aged 18 to 20

F.P. (2004). Continuity of binge and harmful

days in the past month, 18.7 20, compared with 43.1 per- drinking from late adolescence to early
percent reported 2 or 3 days, cent of those aged 12 to 17, adulthood. Pediatrics, 114, 714-719.

11.5 percent reported 5 or 6 engaged in binge drinking on

days, and 20.5 percent
engaged in binge drinking on
7 or more days in the past
month. Among past month
binge alcohol users, 55.2
percent of those aged 18 to
3 or more days in the past
month (Figure 4).
End Note
1. McCarty, C.A., Ebel, B.E., Garrison, M.M.,
DiGiuseppe, D.L., Christakis, D.A., & Rivara,
Figure Notes
* NSDUH defines binge alcohol use as drinking
five or more drinks on the same occasion (i.e.,
at the same time or within a couple of hours of
each other) on at least 1 day in the past 30
days.
Source: SAMHSA, 2002 and 2003 NSDUH.