Chapter 6
Alcohol
Slide Show created by:
Richard C. Krejci, Ph.D.
Professor of Public Health
2.23.16
History of Alcohol Use
Colonial Times:
• Pilgrims anchored at Plymouth because their supply of
beer and spirits was becoming depleted.
• Beer and wine was a part of daily living and considered a
“good creature from God”.
• Alcohol was probably safer to drink than water because of
poor sanitation.
• Alcoholic beverages were a source of
nutrients.
History of Alcohol Use
• In 1640, the Dutch opened the first distillery on Staten
Island, N.Y.
• The rum trade became New England’s largest and most
profitable business.
– Yankee traders would ship “demon rum” to Africa’s west coast to
be traded for slaves.
• Alcohol consumption peaked in the United States during
Thomas Jefferson’s presidency.
Temperance Movement
• Dr. Benjamin Rush, a signer of the Declaration of
Independence, was one of the first people to identify
alcoholism as a disease.
• Early 1800s - started to curb the use of alcohol
• In 1826 the American Society for the Promotion of
Temperance was started.
– The temperance movement remained strong until the start of the
Civil War.
Temperance Movement
• Following the Civil War, the temperance movement became
strong again.
• The Anti-Saloon League grew into a powerful political force
with an emphasis on supporting candidates who
supported controls on alcohol.
Prohibition
• In the early 1900s, efforts to impose a national ban on
alcohol gained strength.
• In 1917, prohibition was born after the U.S. Senate
adopted the 18th Amendment (Volstead Act) and it went
into law in 1920.
Volstead Act
• Prohibited the manufacturing and sale of alcohol
• There were so many criminal problems associated with
prohibition that the law was repealed in 1933.
• Many believe that Prohibition was the greatest legal
mistakes ever made in America.
Current Alcohol Use
• The majority of people who drink today are social drinkers
and their drinking patterns do not lead to long-term health
or social problems.
• Alcohol consumption rates vary greatly by state
– 2.8 gallons per capita in Utah to 4.07 gallons per capita in New
Hampshire (SC is not far behind!)
Current Alcohol Use
• Abstinence, overall, is increasing for men and women.
• The proportion of heavy drinkers in their 20s has increased
slightly in recent years along with problems related to
alcohol dependency.
College Alcohol Consumption
• College students who are fraternity and sorority members
have higher alcohol consumption rates than students who
are not affiliated with fraternities and sororities.
• Gay, lesbian, and bisexual college students drink more
alcohol than heterosexual students.
College Alcohol Consumption
• Full-time college students aged 18-21 have higher rates of
binge drinking than non-students.
• Alcohol-related problems are greater where there is more
access to places to drink or buy alcohol.
U.S. Alcohol Consumption
• Per capita alcohol consumption is highest in the Northeast
and lowest in the West. (the colder the climate the higher
the consumption)
• The rate of binge drinking increases steadily from ages 12
to 21, then steadily decreases.
Binge Drinking
• Binge drinking typically starts around age 13 and increases
during adolescence.
• Students who feel that parties were “very” or “somewhat”
important were far more likely to binge drink.
Current Alcohol Use in the U.S.
• Nationwide (declining slightly) Utah is highest state (4.07 gal
PCC)
• High School (~76% try it, 28% binge drink)
• College students (fraternities/sororities, homosexual, and males)
• Older Adults (lower levels, but is increasing, females)
• Ethnicity
– African-American (lower rates and amounts)
– Hispanic (cultural diversity issues)
– Asian (least)
• Acculturation (adopt the norm)
Drinking Trends in America
In 2011,the amount in American increased to
3.8 gallons (53%) from beer alone.
Fig 6.1, p. 119
Data from 2011
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
3.8
Average amount, in gallons, of pure alcohol consumed each year by the
American drinker (53 percent of it is beer)
2.5
Average amount, in gallons, of pure alcohol downed by every American,
including teetotalers
34.6 percent
Fraction of Americans who choose not to drink
2.5 million
Number of annual global deaths attributable to alcohol
6.1 percent
Share of male deaths tied to alcohol
1.1 percent
Share of global female deaths tied to alcohol
9 percent
Share of deaths among people 15 to 29 tied to alcohol
Prevalence of Binge Drinking and Heavy
Drinking Among Adults in the United States,
1992–2009
Source: The Center for Disease Control, Alcohol Consumption Statistics
Alcoholic Beverages
•
•
•
•
•
•
Ethyl alcohol
Methyl alcohol
Fermentation
Distillation
Fortified wines
Caffeinated beverages
Caffeinated Alcoholic Beverages
• Large brewers like Anheuser-Busch and Miller Coors stopped selling
caffeinated alcoholic beverages in 2008
• Smaller companies stepped into the breach, marketing drinks such as Core
High Gravity, Moonshot, Four Loko, Joose, and Max.
• The drinks have become popular with young people, especially on college
campuses, where they have been dubbed “blackout in a can.”
• In the fall of 2010, the FDA notified four companies -- Charge Beverages
Corporation, New Century Brewing, Phusion Projects Inc., and United
Brands Company, Inc. -- that the addition of caffeine to their alcohol drinks
was unapproved and unsafe, effectively making the manufacture and
distribution of caffeinated alcoholic beverages illegal.
Standard
Drink
Conversions
Alcohol Content in Drinks
BEER
4.5% alcohol X 12 oz
=
.5 oz alcohol
12 oz beer
10% alcohol X 5 oz
=
.5 oz alcohol
5 oz wine
40% alcohol X 1.25 oz
1.25 oz liquor
(80 proof)
= .5 oz alcohol
Intoxication Potential
Photo taken from Fahey, TD, Insel, PM, and Roth, WT, Fit and Well: Core Concepts and Labs, McGraw-Hill, 5th edition, 2002.
What do the Lines Found on a
Solo Cup Really Mean?
The Pharmacology of Alcohol
• Rate of Absorption
– Related to many factors (next slide)
• Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) or
Blood Alcohol Level (BAL)
Factors Determining the Effects
of Alcohol on the Drinker
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Rate of consumption
How much was consumed
Food in stomach
Presence of carbonation
Mood status
Gender
Body weight
Tolerance
Rate of Alcohol Removal and BAL
• Blood Alcohol Level (BAL) is the % of alcohol
in the bloodstream
• Liver can process .5 oz of alcohol per hour
but it can take up to 2 hours to process one
drink.
• Blood Alcohol Level (BAL) will decrease by
about .015% per hour
– Legal BAL in SC and most states is now.08
– Healthy People 2020 recommends lowering it to .04
Approximate Blood Alcohol
Levels
Affects of Varying Blood Alcohol
Levels
BAL
Effect
Long Term Effects of Heavy Alcohol
Use on Body Systems
Cirrhosis of the Liver
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
• The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse
and Alcoholism’s Four Criteria for Defining
FAS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Maternal drinking during pregnancy
A characteristic pattern of facial deformities
Growth retardation
Brain damage, which often is manifested by
intellectual difficulties or behavioral problems
Common Facial Characteristics
in Children with FAS
Photo taken from Williams, Nutrition for Health, Fitness, & Sport, 7th edition, McGraw-Hill, 2004.
Other Major Public Health Issues
•
•
•
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Cardiovascular disease
Neuromuscular problems
High rate of accidents and injuries
Loss of function/productivity
Defining
Alcoholism
Causes of Alcoholism
• Genetics
– 50-60% causation
– Studies on “twins”
• Psychosocial factors
– Psychological factors
– Antisocial behavior
– Expectations
• Culture
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–
–
–
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Religiosity
Social acceptance
Laws
Race
Acculturation
Photo taken from Fahey, TD, Insel, PM, and Roth, WT, Fit and Well: Core Concepts
and Labs, McGraw-Hill, 5th edition, 2002.
Alcohol Related Issues
Underage
Drinking
(10% of all alcohol consumed in
US)
Alcoholism
(unable to control behavior;
physical, social or psychological
consequences)
Problem drinking
(may occur infrequently)
Withdrawal
(delirium tremens)
Withdrawal Symptoms
• Shaking (DTs)
• Extreme arousal
• Auditory and visual
hallucinations
• Physiological symptoms
• Cognitive symptoms
Photo taken from Fahey, TD, Insel, PM, and Roth, WT, Fit and Well: Core Concepts and
Labs, McGraw-Hill, 5th edition, 2002.
Alcohol and the Costs to Society
• Accidents
– Automobile accidents
– Household accidents
– Boating, skiing,
swimming/diving
• Suicide
• Family violence
• Children of alcoholics
The End
Slide Show created by:
Richard C. Krejci, Ph.D.
Professor of Public Health
All Rights Reserved