The sex-based differences in past-month binge drinking among young adults reversed in 2021–2023 versus 2017–2019, with higher rates emerging among women, according to a research letter published online in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Bryant Shuey, M.D., from the University of Pittsburgh, and colleagues examined sex-based differences in binge and heavy drinking in recent years. The analysis included 267,843 adults participating in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2017–2019 and 2021–2023).

The researchers found that in 2017–2019, women had significantly lower past-month binge drinking levels than men overall (22.6 versus 29.2 per 100 persons), as well as among adults aged 18 to 25 years (36.4 versus 37.7 per 100 persons).

Similarly, in 2021–2023, women had significantly lower past month binge drinking levels than males overall (21.8 versus 25.7 per 100 persons). However, in 2021–2023, women aged 18 to 25 years had higher binge drinking levels than men (31.6 versus 29.9 per 100 persons).

In both 2017–2019 and 2021–2023, women had significantly lower past-month heavy drinking levels than men (4.5 versus 8.3 per 100 persons and 5.0 versus 7.8 per 100 persons), with similar results across all age groups.

“Given rising alcohol-related liver disease and mortality among females relative to males, clinicians should ensure that young adult female populations are being appropriately screened for binge and heavy drinking to mitigate downstream alcohol-related health impacts,” the authors write.

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