Here is something to think about before reaching for a beer after a hard day's work. A new study found 1 in 10 deaths of working-age adults between 2006 and 2010 were linked to excessive drinking.
The study, published in Preventing Chronic Disease, claimed excessive drinking was responsible for approximately 88,000 deaths of working-age adults between the ages of 20 to 64.
"We did not expect magnitude of the number of deaths among working age adults. Again, these are people in their prime time." (Via CBS)
Excessive drinking is defined as five or more drinks on one occasion for men and four or more on one occasion for women.
The study accounted for long-term effects such as liver and heart disease and short-term effects such as violence, alcohol poisoning, car crashes and drowning. (Via Flickr / Quinn Dombrowski)
New Mexico had the highest number of deaths with 51 per 100,000 people and New Jersey had the lowest with 19.1 deaths per 100,000 people.
A previous study from the CDC suggests that many people do not realize they're drinking too much and if doctors would take the time to discuss drinking habits with their patients it could dramatically cut down the amount of drinking related illnesses. (Via NBC)
The more recent study claims that in 2006 drinking-related deaths cost the U.S. $224 billion, or $1.90 per drink. (Via Flickr / Alexandre Chang)
In total, excessive drinking accounts for 2.5 million years of life lost each year.
