Alcohol Consumption, 2006

Updated June 26, 2019 | Infoplease Staff

(persons 18 years of age and over)

The following table lists the amount of alcohol consumed by Americans 18 years and older during 2006, according to sex, drinking status, level of consumption in the past year, and number of days in the past year with five or more drinks.

Both sexes Male Female
Drinking status1
All 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%
Lifetime abstainer 25.0 17.8 31.5
Former drinker 14.1 14.9 13.5
Infrequent 7.9 7.1 8.7
Regular 6.2 7.7 4.4
Current drinker 60.8 67.4 54.9
Infrequent 12.4 9.2 15.5
Regular 48.0 57.6 39.2
Level of alcohol consumption in past
year for current drinkers2
All drinking levels 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%
Light 67.7 58.8 77.8
Moderate 24.0 33.0 13.9
Heavier 8.3 8.2 8.4
Number of days in the past
year with 5 or more drinks
All current drinkers 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%
No days 67.0 57.8 77.3
At least 1 day 33.0 42.2 22.7
1–11 days 17.9 20.5 15.1
12 or more days 15.1 21.7 7.6
1. Lifetime abstainers had fewer than 12 drinks in their lifetime. Former drinkers had at least 12 drinks in their lifetime and none in the past year. Former infrequent drinkers are former drinkers who had fewer than 12 drinks in any one year. Former regular drinkers are former drinkers who had at least 12 drinks in any one year. Current drinkers had 12 drinks in their lifetime and at least one drink in the past year. Current infrequent drinkers are current drinkers who had fewer than 12 drinks in the past year. Current regular drinkers are current drinkers who had at least 12 drinks in the past year.
2. Level of alcohol consumption categories are defined as follows: light drinkers, up to 3 drinks per week; moderate drinkers, 4–14 drinks per week for men and 4–7 drinks per week for women; heavier drinkers, more than 14 drinks per week for men and more than 7 drinks per week for women in 2007.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Health, United States, 2007.

Alcoholism Health Alcohol Consumption, 2000
Brewer's: Health
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