Most binge drinkers pick beer over liquor: study

By Stephanie Bagley

NEW YORK, Aug 7 - Most binge drinkers will reach for beer rather than wine or liquor when they set out to get drunk, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

The study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention examined the drinking habits of 14,000 adult binge drinkers across 18 U.S. states.

What they found is that 67 percent of these drinkers drank only or mainly beer in their most recent binge, with easy access to beer seen as a major reason.

The researchers defined a binge drinker as someone drinking more than five drinks at one sitting.

"Beer is sold in far more locations, especially outlets like convenience stores and gas stations, where impulse purchases are common," said Dr. Timothy Naimi, an epidemiologist with the CDC, whose study appears in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

The study found about two-thirds of all binge drinkers, no matter what age, race or education level, would choose beer over liquor, wine or other alcohol.

The study also uncovered big differences in drinking patterns between men and women, with 73 percent of men favoring beer as the binge drink of choice, compared with 50 percent of women.

Naimi said most binge drinkers were not alcoholics, but would drink to match their peers or for other reasons.