{"id":969,"date":"2018-06-25T16:25:06","date_gmt":"2018-06-25T16:25:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-hccc-fitness-1\/chapter\/alcohol-facts\/"},"modified":"2018-06-26T17:35:22","modified_gmt":"2018-06-26T17:35:22","slug":"alcohol-facts","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/atd-herkimer-wellness\/chapter\/alcohol-facts\/","title":{"raw":"Alcohol Facts","rendered":"Alcohol Facts"},"content":{"raw":"<h2>What is a \"drink\"?<\/h2>\r\nIn the United States, a standard drink contains 0.6 ounces (14.0 grams or 1.2 tablespoons) of pure alcohol. Generally, this amount of pure alcohol is found in:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>12-ounces of beer (5% alcohol content).<\/li>\r\n \t<li>8-ounces of malt liquor (7% alcohol content).<\/li>\r\n \t<li>5-ounces of wine (12% alcohol content).<\/li>\r\n \t<li>1.5-ounces of 80-proof (40% alcohol content) distilled spirits or liquor (e.g., gin, rum, vodka, whiskey).<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2>What is excessive drinking?<\/h2>\r\nExcessive drinking includes binge drinking, heavy drinking, and any drinking by pregnant women or people younger than age 21.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><a id=\"binge\" class=\"tp-link-policy\" name=\"binge\"><\/a>Binge drinking, the most common form of excessive drinking, is defined as consuming:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>For women, 4 or more drinks during a single occasion.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>For men, 5 or more drinks during a single occasion.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Heavy drinking is defined as consuming:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>For women, 8 or more drinks per week.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>For men, 15 or more drinks per week.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nMost people who drink excessively are not alcoholics or alcohol dependent.\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<strong>Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)<\/strong> - Differences Between Women and Men\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Women have less of a particular enzyme (gastric alcohol dehydrogenase) than men do that breaks down alcohol in the stomach.\u00a0 As a result, more alcohol is absorbed within a woman's body and leads to a higher BAC than in men.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>In general, women have less body water than men resulting in a higher BAC for women.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>In general, men have a greater ratio of muscle to fat than do women. Muscle has a large amount of blood that flows through the muscle tissue. Fat has a much smaller amount of blood. The functional difference this makes is that alcohol is more diluted in a man\u2019s body due to this larger volume of blood.\u00a0 Since women tend to have a higher percentage of body fat than men, this results in a higher BAC level for women compared to men.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2>What is moderate drinking?<\/h2>\r\nThe <em>Dietary Guidelines for Americans<\/em> defines moderate drinking as up to 1 drink per day for women and up to 2 drinks per day for men. In addition, the <em>Dietary Guidelines<\/em> do not recommend that individuals who do not drink alcohol start drinking for any reason.\r\n\r\nHowever, there are some people who should <strong>not<\/strong> drink any alcohol, including those who are:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Younger than age 21.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Pregnant or may be pregnant.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Driving, planning to drive, or participating in other activities requiring skill, coordination, and alertness.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Taking certain prescription or over-the-counter medications that can interact with alcohol.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Suffering from certain medical conditions.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Recovering from alcoholism or are unable to control the amount they drink.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nBy adhering to the <em>Dietary Guidelines<\/em>, you can reduce the risk of harm to yourself or others.\r\n<h2>Short-Term Health Risks<\/h2>\r\nExcessive alcohol use has immediate effects that increase the risk of many harmful health conditions. These are most often the result of binge drinking and include the following:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Injuries, such as motor vehicle crashes, falls, drownings, and burns.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Violence, including homicide, suicide, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Alcohol poisoning, a medical emergency that results from high blood alcohol levels.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Risky sexual behaviors, including unprotected sex or sex with multiple partners. These behaviors can result in unintended pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Miscarriage and stillbirth or <a class=\"tp-link-policy\" href=\"http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/ncbddd\/fasd\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs)<\/a> among pregnant women.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2>Long-Term Health Risks<\/h2>\r\nOver time, excessive alcohol use can lead to the development of chronic diseases and other serious problems including:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, and colon.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Learning and memory problems, including dementia and poor school performance.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Mental health problems, including depression and anxiety.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Social problems, including lost productivity, family problems, and unemployment.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Alcohol dependence, or alcoholism.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nBy not drinking too much, you can reduce the risk of these short- and long-term health risks.","rendered":"<h2>What is a &#8220;drink&#8221;?<\/h2>\n<p>In the United States, a standard drink contains 0.6 ounces (14.0 grams or 1.2 tablespoons) of pure alcohol. Generally, this amount of pure alcohol is found in:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>12-ounces of beer (5% alcohol content).<\/li>\n<li>8-ounces of malt liquor (7% alcohol content).<\/li>\n<li>5-ounces of wine (12% alcohol content).<\/li>\n<li>1.5-ounces of 80-proof (40% alcohol content) distilled spirits or liquor (e.g., gin, rum, vodka, whiskey).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>What is excessive drinking?<\/h2>\n<p>Excessive drinking includes binge drinking, heavy drinking, and any drinking by pregnant women or people younger than age 21.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a id=\"binge\" class=\"tp-link-policy\" name=\"binge\"><\/a>Binge drinking, the most common form of excessive drinking, is defined as consuming:\n<ul>\n<li>For women, 4 or more drinks during a single occasion.<\/li>\n<li>For men, 5 or more drinks during a single occasion.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Heavy drinking is defined as consuming:\n<ul>\n<li>For women, 8 or more drinks per week.<\/li>\n<li>For men, 15 or more drinks per week.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Most people who drink excessively are not alcoholics or alcohol dependent.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<p><strong>Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)<\/strong> &#8211; Differences Between Women and Men<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Women have less of a particular enzyme (gastric alcohol dehydrogenase) than men do that breaks down alcohol in the stomach.\u00a0 As a result, more alcohol is absorbed within a woman&#8217;s body and leads to a higher BAC than in men.<\/li>\n<li>In general, women have less body water than men resulting in a higher BAC for women.<\/li>\n<li>In general, men have a greater ratio of muscle to fat than do women. Muscle has a large amount of blood that flows through the muscle tissue. Fat has a much smaller amount of blood. The functional difference this makes is that alcohol is more diluted in a man\u2019s body due to this larger volume of blood.\u00a0 Since women tend to have a higher percentage of body fat than men, this results in a higher BAC level for women compared to men.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2>What is moderate drinking?<\/h2>\n<p>The <em>Dietary Guidelines for Americans<\/em> defines moderate drinking as up to 1 drink per day for women and up to 2 drinks per day for men. In addition, the <em>Dietary Guidelines<\/em> do not recommend that individuals who do not drink alcohol start drinking for any reason.<\/p>\n<p>However, there are some people who should <strong>not<\/strong> drink any alcohol, including those who are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Younger than age 21.<\/li>\n<li>Pregnant or may be pregnant.<\/li>\n<li>Driving, planning to drive, or participating in other activities requiring skill, coordination, and alertness.<\/li>\n<li>Taking certain prescription or over-the-counter medications that can interact with alcohol.<\/li>\n<li>Suffering from certain medical conditions.<\/li>\n<li>Recovering from alcoholism or are unable to control the amount they drink.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>By adhering to the <em>Dietary Guidelines<\/em>, you can reduce the risk of harm to yourself or others.<\/p>\n<h2>Short-Term Health Risks<\/h2>\n<p>Excessive alcohol use has immediate effects that increase the risk of many harmful health conditions. These are most often the result of binge drinking and include the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Injuries, such as motor vehicle crashes, falls, drownings, and burns.<\/li>\n<li>Violence, including homicide, suicide, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence.<\/li>\n<li>Alcohol poisoning, a medical emergency that results from high blood alcohol levels.<\/li>\n<li>Risky sexual behaviors, including unprotected sex or sex with multiple partners. These behaviors can result in unintended pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV.<\/li>\n<li>Miscarriage and stillbirth or <a class=\"tp-link-policy\" href=\"http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/ncbddd\/fasd\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs)<\/a> among pregnant women.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Long-Term Health Risks<\/h2>\n<p>Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to the development of chronic diseases and other serious problems including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems.<\/li>\n<li>Cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, and colon.<\/li>\n<li>Learning and memory problems, including dementia and poor school performance.<\/li>\n<li>Mental health problems, including depression and anxiety.<\/li>\n<li>Social problems, including lost productivity, family problems, and unemployment.<\/li>\n<li>Alcohol dependence, or alcoholism.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>By not drinking too much, you can reduce the risk of these short- and long-term health risks.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-969\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">Public domain content<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Alcohol Facts. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Division of Population Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/alcohol\/fact-sheets\/alcohol-use.htm\">https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/alcohol\/fact-sheets\/alcohol-use.htm<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/about\/pdm\">Public Domain: No Known Copyright<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section>","protected":false},"author":23485,"menu_order":1,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"pd\",\"description\":\"Alcohol Facts\",\"author\":\"Division of Population Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion\",\"organization\":\"Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/alcohol\/fact-sheets\/alcohol-use.htm\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"pd\",\"license_terms\":\"\"}]","CANDELA_OUTCOMES_GUID":"","pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-969","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":968,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/atd-herkimer-wellness\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/969","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/atd-herkimer-wellness\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/atd-herkimer-wellness\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/atd-herkimer-wellness\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23485"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/atd-herkimer-wellness\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/969\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1009,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/atd-herkimer-wellness\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/969\/revisions\/1009"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/atd-herkimer-wellness\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/968"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/atd-herkimer-wellness\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/969\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/atd-herkimer-wellness\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=969"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/atd-herkimer-wellness\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=969"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/atd-herkimer-wellness\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=969"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/atd-herkimer-wellness\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=969"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}