For this report, researchers analyzed a dataset consisting of self-reported drinking histories gathered from 10,424 first-semester freshmen at 14 schools across the U.S. during the fall of 2003. Numbers of students that reached the 4+/5+ binge-drinking threshold were calculated, as were those who drank at two (8+/10+) and three (12+/15+) times the binge-drinking threshold.
"College students drink at levels far higher than we expected," said White. "We found that roughly 20 percent of all freshmen males had 10 or more drinks at least once during the two-week period. This is twice the binge threshold. Approximately eight percent drank 15 or more drinks, or three times the binge threshold. Clearly, simply dividing students into two categories, binge-drinkers and non-binge drinkers, oversimplifies the problem."
Both White and Tapert were alarmed by the potential consequences of such heavy drinking.
"Fifteen drinks is enough to create a very dangerous level of intoxication, yet nearly one out of 10 freshmen males surpassed this threshold in the two weeks before the survey," said White. "In my opinion, we could make additional progress toward reducing the harm that alcohol brings to our campuses by shifting some of our focus away from students drinking at or near the binge threshold, and toward the significant number of students that drink at levels well beyond the binge threshold. My hope is that we could recruit
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24-May-2006