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The importance of drinking frequency in evaluating individuals' drinking patterns: implications for the development of national drinking guidelines
Article first published online: 11 MAY 2009
DOI: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2009.02586.x
© 2009 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2009 Society for the Study of Addiction
Additional Information
How to Cite
Paradis, C., Demers, A., Picard, E. and Graham, K. (2009), The importance of drinking frequency in evaluating individuals' drinking patterns: implications for the development of national drinking guidelines. Addiction, 104: 1179–1184. doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2009.02586.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 4 JUN 2009
- Article first published online: 11 MAY 2009
- Submitted 26 February 2008; initial review completed 24 June 2008; final version accepted 23 February 2009
- Abstract
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Keywords:
- Alcohol;
- Canada;
- binge drinking;
- drinking guidelines;
- gender;
- moderate drinking
ABSTRACT
Aims This paper examines the relationship between frequency of drinking, usual daily consumption and frequency of binge drinking, taking into consideration possible age and gender differences.
Participants and design Subjects were 10 466 current drinkers (5743 women and 4723 men) aged between 18 and 76 years, who participated in the GENACIS Canada (GENder Alcohol and Culture: an International Study) study.
Setting Canada.
Measurements The independent variable was the annual drinking frequency. The dependent variables were the usual daily quantity consumed, annual, monthly and weekly frequency of binge drinking (five drinks or more on one occasion).
Findings Logistic regressions show (i) that those who drink less than once a week are less likely than weekly drinkers to take more than two drinks when they do drink; (ii) that the usual daily quantity consumed by weekly drinkers is not related to their frequency of drinking; but that (iii) the risk and frequency of binge drinking increase with the frequency of drinking.
Conclusions Given that risk and frequency of binge drinking among Canadians increases with their frequency of drinking, any public recommendation to drink moderately should be made with great caution.