We sought to examine trends in relative risk for binge drinking among youth and young adults in the United States over the past three decades, focusing on differences by age, gender, student status (for college-aged individuals), and race/ethnicity. The overall picture seems to reflect three simultaneous demographic trends that jointly contribute to net trends in binge drinking. First, individuals under 20 have experienced marked reductions in risk for binge drinking, suggesting that changes in the MLDA, as well as other policy changes and public health campaigns have been successful. Second, and countering the former trend, risk for binge drinking among girls and young women has been rising, with risk increasing faster for minorities than for Whites. And third, the reduction in risk for binge drinking among youth has not reached college students. Hence, reductions in binge drinking have been observed for 12–20 year old males, but not among 12–20 year old females because the trend toward less binge drinking among youth has been offset by an across-the-board increase in female binge drinking. And, 18–20 year old college men have experienced
