title: Alcoholic beverage consumption among adults: sociodemographic characteristics and trends.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the prevalence of alcohol consumption, identify the associated sociodemographic characteristics in 2006, and evaluate consumption trends from 2006 to 2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated 54,369 adults living in the 26 Brazilian state capitals and the Federal District. Usual consumption was related to drinking at least one dose of alcohol in the past 30 days, and binge consumption meant 5 or more doses for men and 4 or more for women at least once in the past 30 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The usual consumers represented 38.1% of the studied population and the binge drinkers were 16.2%; both frequencies were higher among men than women. The variables associated to the usual and abusive alcohol consumption were age, marital status and insertion in the job market for both genders and skin color for women. Schooling was only associated for usual consumers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The trend of abusive alcohol consumption increased in both genders. Data endorse the need for national public policies aiming to prevent the abusive consumption of alcohol, mainly among the youngest.
authors: Department of Epidemiological research on Nutrition and Health at Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo (SP), Brazil. erlycm@usp.br
authors: Erly Catarina
authors: EC
authors: Moura
authors: Deborah Carvalho
authors: DC
authors: Malta
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000639:trends*; D001938:Brazil; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult