A new study revealed some startling numbers about just how many U.S. deaths can be blamed on excessive drinking.
CDC researchers looked at death records in all 50 states from 2015 to 2019 to see just how many deaths were either fully or partially caused by excessive drinking.
They found for adults between the ages of 20 and 49, one in five deaths was attributed to excessive drinking.
For those ages 20 to 64, one in eight deaths was due to excessive drinking.
Researchers say these numbers are up compared to the last decade.
The number of people who binge drink is also up.
The CDC estimates one in six adults binge drink. For a woman, that means four or more drinks at a time on occasion, and five or more drinks on occasion for a man.
The CDC offers a free tool to help people make a plan to drink less.
You can check that out at CDC.gov/alcohol.
You just take a 5-minute quiz to get a plan specific to your needs, and remember, there is help if you need it.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has a free, confidential helpline at 1-800-622-HELP.