Women are Catching Up to Men’s Drinking Habits

Awakenings for Women, a sober living home for women in Boca Raton reports that the gap between men and women is closing – but not in a good way. Recent studies show women are catching up to men in terms of alcohol consumption.

Researchers at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre of the University of New South Wales, Australia conducted a global study which analyzed drinking habits of millions of people over time. Historically men have been drinking more than women since the 1800s, but since the 1950’s the number of women drinking and the amounts they are drinking has continually risen.

What is the reason behind women’s increased drinking habits?

Researchers believe there are four obvious factors contributing to the rise in women drinking: Clever marketing tactics, dropped prices in alcohol, the after-work drinking culture, and the movement towards modern feminism. Marketing companies are gearing their ads specifically toward women and television programs that women are likely to watch. They are creating more of an appeal towards drinking and normalizing it.

As women have become more and more competitive in the job market, they have joined in on the after-work drinking culture. The feminist movement, which is always striving for equality amongst men and women may be having a negative effect as women believe they can “keep up with the boys” at the bar. This is the only situation in which women should NOT be trying to keep up. The bad news is that less alcohol has more effect on women physiologically than it does on men. So technically, women cannot handle the same amounts as men.

While women have celebrated much success in closing the gender gap over the last few decades, the closing gap in drinking habits is nothing to celebrate. For more information on a sober living home for women, contact Awakenings for Women.