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In Reply: In response to Dr DeJong, the definition of "binge" drinking as the consumption of 5 or more drinks on a single occasion (often modified to 4 or more for women) is widely used and accepted.¹ Indeed, reduction in binge drinking among adults is a Leading Health Indicator in Healthy People 2010,² and the NIAAA uses the 5 drink/4 drink levels to delineate risky drinking.³ Nonetheless, we acknowledge that "binge" is also sometimes used to describe prolonged periods of intoxication among alcohol-dependent individuals, as well as excessive eating over short periods of time.

DeJong's comments reflect an ongoing concern about the extent to which alcohol problems—either acute or chronic—are confined to people with alcohol dependence (alcoholism). More than a decade ago, the Institute of Medicine stated that alcohol problems do not begin with alcoholism or end with inpatient treatment.⁴ In our study, we demonstrated that binge drinking is common . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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RELATED ARTICLE

Definitions of Binge Drinking
William DeJong
JAMA. 2003;289(13):1635.
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