Binge drinking, although not a diagnostic term formally included in the DSM-IV-TR, is often highlighted in research due to the diverse physical and social ramifications specifically associated with heavy, episodic drinking. This term has garnered some debate due to gender, weight, and age differences in the absorption of alcohol (Wechsler, Dowdall, Davenport, & Rimm, 1995). We define binge drinking in accordance with the 2004 guidelines approved by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) as the consumption of alcohol sufficient to elevate blood alcohol concentration to .08; commonly, this level of consumption is considered five or more drinks in men and four or more drinks in women within two hours. The NIAAA council recognizes in their formal statement that some individuals may require fewer drinks than those described for the “typical adult” to experience a binge-level blood alcohol concentration, but alternative amounts or distinctions are not made (NIAAA, 2004).
