Young adults beware! Binge drinking can cause severe heart problems, study states
Updated: Jun 28, 2018, 14:43 IST
Kids, you might want to rethink that next keg stand because it might have worse consequences than just a hangover. Young adults who binge drink have heightened cardiovascular-disease risk factors, as stated by a new study doing the rounds right now. These factors include higher blood sugar, higher total cholesterol and higher blood pressure, according to a new report in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
"Compared to previous generations, the pervasiveness, intensity (number of drinks) and regularity (several times per week) of binge drinking may place today's young adults at greater risk for more profound rates of alcohol-attributable harm," said Mariann Piano, study's lead author. "Young adults need to be aware that the consequences of repeated binge drinking may harm their hearts. The risk extends beyond poor school performance and increased risk for accidental injury," Piano continued.
According to previous studies, 'binge drinking' is often defined as consuming five drinks or more in a row for men (4 or more drinks for women) per occasion within the past 30 days - increases cardiovascular risk among middle-aged and older adults. However, then, the relationship of binge drinking with young adults aged 18 to 45 remained unclear. In this study, high-frequency binge drinking (more than 12 times a year) was reported by 25.1 per cent of men and 11.8 per cent of women. Binge drinking 12 times a year or less was reported by 29.0 per cent of men and 25.1 per cent of women. Young men who binge drank routinely were found to have higher blood pressure and higher blood cholesterol than non-binge drinkers. Meanwhile, binge-drinking women had higher blood sugar. All three of those elevated stats are risk factors for heart disease.
This study appears in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
"Compared to previous generations, the pervasiveness, intensity (number of drinks) and regularity (several times per week) of binge drinking may place today's young adults at greater risk for more profound rates of alcohol-attributable harm," said Mariann Piano, study's lead author. "Young adults need to be aware that the consequences of repeated binge drinking may harm their hearts. The risk extends beyond poor school performance and increased risk for accidental injury," Piano continued.
According to previous studies, 'binge drinking' is often defined as consuming five drinks or more in a row for men (4 or more drinks for women) per occasion within the past 30 days - increases cardiovascular risk among middle-aged and older adults. However, then, the relationship of binge drinking with young adults aged 18 to 45 remained unclear. In this study, high-frequency binge drinking (more than 12 times a year) was reported by 25.1 per cent of men and 11.8 per cent of women. Binge drinking 12 times a year or less was reported by 29.0 per cent of men and 25.1 per cent of women. Young men who binge drank routinely were found to have higher blood pressure and higher blood cholesterol than non-binge drinkers. Meanwhile, binge-drinking women had higher blood sugar. All three of those elevated stats are risk factors for heart disease.
This study appears in the Journal of the American Heart Association.