Health: Binge Drinking An Under-Recognized Problem Among Women

By Stephanie Stahl

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Binge drinking is an under-recognized problem among women and girls, according to a new report from federal health officials. 3 On Your Side Health Reporter Stephanie Stahl has more on the danger.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says binge drinking is not often recognized as a women's health problem. New findings show nearly 14 million women in the U.S. binge drink. The report says it happens about three times a month, and that women consume an average of six drinks per binge.

"A lot of our patients are drinking a lot more than you would expect," said Monica Duvall, a family medicine physician at Rittenhouse Women's Wellness Center. She isn't surprised by the new CDC report that shows young women often drink too much.

"It's just something they do at the end of the day with their friends. And nobody wants to think that -- you know, you're young, you're healthy -- you don't want to think that this is a problem, or you don't want to have to think about the implications for your health, and I don't think many people do," said Dr. Duvall.

The new report shows one in eight women and one in five high school students binge drink.

Doctors say drinking too much alcohol can have a variety of serious consequences.

"We know that there's a link with breast cancer. There's a link to heart disease. There's link to liver problems. A lot of people are on medications now that interfere with drinking, and that's something that doesn't even occur to people," said Dr. Duvall.

Drinking too much alcohol can also result in unintended pregnancies, violence and car accidents.

The report shows binge drinking causes about 23,000 deaths among women and girls in the United States each year.

For more on the CDC's binge drinking report, visit: www.cdc.gov/features/vitalsigns/bingedrinkingfemale/index.html

For more on the Rittenhouse Women's Wellness Center, visit: www.rwwc.com