In what government officials are calling an alarming trend, one in six Americans binge drink — and Nebraska and Iowa's numbers are even higher.
Despite statewide efforts to combat alcohol abuse, Nebraska ranked as the No. 2 state on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention list. More than 22 percent of Nebraskans admitted to binge drinking in 2010, the most recent year for which information was available. The national average was 17.1 percent.
Iowa tied for sixth. More than one in five Iowans admitted to binge drinking. The CDC defines binge drinking as consuming five or more alcoholic drinks in one sitting for men, and four or more drinks at a sitting for women.
"I wish I could say I'm surprised, but I'm not," said Dr. Joann Schaefer, chief medical officer for the State of Nebraska. "We've known alcohol is a problem in our state for a while."
Nebraska and Iowa figures have consistently been higher than the national numbers in the annual survey, but not dramatically. CDC officials say binge drinking is a public health problem affecting the entire country. More than 38 million U.S. adults binge drink four times a month, consuming an average of eight drinks per episode.
Robert Brewer, leader of the CDC's alcohol program, said the behavior is probably underreported. The 2010 survey, though, is believed to be more accurate than previous ones because it included cellphone users in addition to landline phone customers. More than 458,000 adults participated in the survey.
A number of groups exist across Nebraska — among them the Livewise Coalition in Douglas and Sarpy Counties, the Lincoln Council on Alcoholism and Drugs, and the Panhandle Prevention Coalition — to educate the public on the health risks associated with substance abuse and to promote healthy choices.
The latest numbers suggest that the Nebraska groups are facing an ongoing problem. Omaha, Lincoln, Norfolk and Grand Island landed in the top 15 of the CDC index that compares nearly 200 metropolitan areas.
The Omaha metropolitan area tied for 11th with Springfield, Mass., on the list of binge-drinking cities. Omaha's results included data from surrounding counties and Council Bluffs.
Binge drinking in Nebraska is most prevalent in the Lincoln area, which includes data from Lancaster and Seward Counties.
Lincoln is third on the list, behind cities in Hawaii and Florida. In the Lincoln area, 22.7 percent reported binge drinking — a 4.7 percent increase from 2009.
"I wish we could turn that data around, but I think it's going to take a while," Schaefer said.
The percentages in Lincoln and Omaha have not changed significantly since 2002.
Lincoln's large population of 19- to 25-year-olds may have contributed to the city's high number, said Linda Major, assistant to the vice chancellor of student affairs at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Major is a key player in UNL's anti-alcohol abuse efforts. She said student binge-drinking rates have dropped significantly in recent years.
Nationally, binge drinking is most prevalent among 18- to 34-year-olds. People in that age group also consume more alcohol in an average sitting — eight to 10 drinks.
But binge drinking isn't limited to young people. Those 65 and older binge drink more often, says the CDC report. The researchers also found that binge drinking is more common in people with annual household incomes of $75,000 or above.
"It's not just a problem for young people. It's a problem throughout the lifespan," said Dr. Robert Brewer, leader of the CDC's alcohol program.
The state-by-state comparison indicates that binge drinking is especially common in the upper Midwest and Northeast. Those residents, particularly in rural Nebraska, spend a lot of time indoors with little to do, said Amy Wieczorek, a health educator for the Central District Health Department in Grand Island.
"There isn't a lot to do out here, and all of our activities revolve around drinking," Wieczorek said, pointing to sporting events, restaurants and, of course, bars.
Heather Drahota, an official for the health department that oversees Norfolk, agreed. About one in five Norfolk residents reported binge drinking in 2010.
"A lot of it is boredom," she said.
Excessive drinking in 2006 cost the United States an estimated $223.5 billion in lost productivity, health care expenses and criminal justice costs. It is infamously tied to impaired judgment and car accidents, but its health consequences reach beyond the steering wheel.
"Sometimes people think, 'Well, I'm not going to get on the road so it's OK if I drink a lot,'" Schaefer said. "We need people to understand it's a toxin to your body."
Binge drinking is associated with chronic diseases such as cirrhosis of the liver and cancers of the liver, mouth, throat and esophagus; unintentional injuries and violence; and sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancies.
The CDC report is an added incentive to continue attacking the problem, Major said.
"This is reaffirmation for those of us who are doing this work that our work is not done."
Contact the writer: 402-444-1071, katy.healey@owh.com, twitter.com/KatyHealey5
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