Photo: Nick Wheeler Oz, Flickr

Mortified by your muffin top? Blame the booze -- according to studies, binge drinking can add a staggering 4 inches to your waistline if you're a woman, and 2 inches if you're a man. That's according to research from a few years ago that showed that ladies who regularly went on drinking binges were 4 inches bigger around the waist than those who kept their alcohol intake under control.

So just what constituted binge drinking in comparison to regular drinking? Those classified as binge drinkers drank at least 10 units in a single session at least once a month. But while 10 units seems like a lot, keep in mind that a large glass of wine can contain three 'units.' Eeps -- sounds like a regular Sunday dinner at my mother's house.

Still, this isn't really all that surprising -- alcohol can make you fat for a number of reasons:

If you knew a pint of beer had as many calories as a hot dog, would it stop you from downing six on a night out with friends. Experts in Britain think so, and they're looking into putting calorie counts on alcohol in an effort to curb binge drinking. It's thought that this move will target young binge-drinking women in particular, who are more conscious of their waistlines. The calorie count could also come with a warning like the kind you see on cigarette packs, an idea of what a food equivalent would be calorie-wise and an indication of how many standard drinks are in the serving size you're consuming (for the record, there are 2.3 alcohol servings in a pint of beer).

But not everyone agrees. Opponents of the initiative think that instead of deterring people from binge drinking, this will encourage them to compensate for the alcohol calories by skipping meals. Hmm. Good point.

What do you think? Are calorie counts on booze a good idea?

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Binge drinking has been getting a lot of bad publicity lately (and for good reason; it's dangerous!), but when it comes to excessive imbibing, we tend to point the finger at young people, ranging from teens to those in their mid and late-twenties. But it's not always the kids that are tying one on; recent studies show that parents and older adults partake in binge drinking too, although they're more likely to be 'in denial' about their drinking habits.

This makes sense to me -- technically, binge drinking involves have more than four drinks, and a drink's a drink, regardless of whether you're doing body shots of tequila or drinking a fine wine. However, I'm inclined to think that older adults are more responsible with their drinking -- they're less likely to get involved in dangerous situations or abuse alcohol in an unhealthy manner.

Though I could be totally off-base -- what do you think?

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Here's the scenario: You had a night out with the girls in which you drank way too many tequila shooters and ended up with the hangover of your life the next day. But it doesn't compare to the guilt and worry you feel when you realize that you're pregnant. Oh no! Did you harm the baby?

New studies are showing that in most cases, a one-off drinking binge will not lead to long-term effects for your baby. But that's not to say that you should feel free to go on a bender in your third trimester, but rather, if you messed up, you shouldn't beat yourself up over it.

I don't want to sound like a fuddy duddy but it should be said that binge drinking is never a good idea, whether you're trying for a baby or not.

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Ladies, if you're planning on tying one on this weekend, don't drink too much. Besides the same old risks associated with binge drinking--impaired judgement, destroyed brain cells, a wicked hangover, etc--you're at risk for another problem: you might rupture your bladder.

According to reports, several woman have recently ruptured their bladders as a result of alcohol abuse. The condition is rare, but serious -- if urine leaks into the abdominal cavity, it can cause an infection that could be fatal.

Why is this happening? It's believed that because alcohol numbs sensation, these women didn't quite realize that they had to empty their bladders. Ugh. Sounds awful ... and awfully embarrassing.

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Do you think kicking the 19-and 20-year-olds out of the bars at 10:00 pm will curtail college binge drinking? That is exactly what University of Iowans are wondering . This stricter bar ordinance is up for vote November 6 in Iowa City.

Down five or more drinks in a single sitting and you're exhibiting binge drinking behavior. University of Iowans are notorious drinkers and there's data to back it up -- a Harvard University study reported nearly 70 percent of Hawkeyes binged recently, compared to 49 percent of students nationwide. I also offer testimonial evidence, I'm an '89 Hawkeye graduate and can attest to the party scene. Considering their 3-5 football record of late, alcohol consumption is probably on the rise.

One bar owner thought shooing the youngsters out of the bars would lead to the destruction of the neighborhoods. One female student worried about the lack of safety at house parties. She feels safer with the police presence downtown. University president Sally Mason won't even offer her opinion on the controversy. Raising the entry age to 21 may be just as East Lansing Police Chief Tim Wilbert described -- it's like squeezing a water balloon -- you squeeze one part and the problem bulges elsewhere.

Until the college drinking culture is truly changed, I tend to agree with the Police Chief. Your thoughts?

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What's the key to curbing underage binge drinking? Make it legal, according to Stanton Peele, psychologist and author of "Addiction-Proof Your Child." He argues that if you encourage a healthy attitude towards drinking and don't forbid your teenagers from doing it, it will lead to responsible drinking. He cites many countries in Europe as proof, since many countries there allow teenagers to drink and their are less alcohol abuse problems over the pond than here. What do you think?

I'm kind of on the fence about this subject. I do agree that it's safer for kids to drink when their parents are around than to feel pressure to sneak off with their friends to get drunk in a potentially dangerous situation. But are parents really teaching responsible drinking when they're breaking the law to allow their teenager to drink? That seems to be like encouraging them to drive safely by allowing them to speed and run red lights.

Is any amount of alcohol safe for adolescents?

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Binge drinking, though seemingly fun at the time, is dangerous for your health and can lead to some painful symptoms the next day. Recently, a study made an interesting discovery: Binge drinkers tend to head to the beer cooler as opposed to the liquor or spirit aisles when they're looking for something to get drunk off of. These findings could potentially lead to high taxation for beer as opposed to other forms of alcohol. It could also lead to more rules concerning when beer is available to buy. A few drinks becomes a drinking binge once someone has 5 or more drinks.

Why is this? Some think it's convenience -- beer is readily available at grocery and convenience stores. I think the act of drinking beer in itself is conducive to binge drinking -- it goes down more smoothly than other types of alcohol and it takes longer to get drunk on beer. What are your thoughts?

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We all need at least some semblance of "healthy fats" every day, and Omega-3 fatty acids (in foods or in supplement form) are very good ways to keep your nutritional intake in top form. Well, that is unless you're a binge drinker at the same time.

A new study concluded that those who are heavy drinkers tend to have much lower levels of Omega-3 fatty acids in their systems compared to non-binging peers.

While I'm not sure those who regularly binge drink are that concerned about their overall health, perhaps a little fish-oil capsules mixed in with that intoxicating brew could do the trick?

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Have a child in college? Chances are he or she has seen some drinking activity while there. Binge drinking and other types of entertainment seem to be pretty prevalent these days. Does it affect your child's education, though?

A recent showed that activities like binge drinking may cause bad decision making among those who partake in it, when compared to peers who don't engage in the activity.

In addition to that main finding, the study also said that the earlier a person begins to binge drink, the stronger the tie to poor decision-making skills. College (and those years) should be filled with the enjoyment of getting older and moving into an independent frame of mind. That is, unless you drink heavily.

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The effects of drinking alcohol can manifest certain health issues differently in women than in men, according to a new piece of research.

The research stated that drinking problems in women may be harder to detect because of these differences. In fact, of the more than 2,700 men and women who took part in the study that fed the researcher's conclusions, men reported problems like bingeing or getting into fights.

On the flip side, women were more likely to report feeling depressed or guilty about their drinking. In a sense, these results may mean that women's early drinking problems may not be recognized early in many cases.

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While college is about the educational and social experience, is it becoming part of a normal "party" experience as well? A preliminary study indeed shows that drinking heavily in college may make heart disease more likely.

No real head-turner here I think. The study centered on measurements of f C-reactive protein (CRP) in the participants' blood samples. The higher that figure is, the more likelihood of heart disease later in life. Conclusion: drinkers have higher CRP levels than non-drinkers (as far as this study).

But, it has to be said that many factors -- including alcohol, medications, physical activity, and body fat -- can affect CRP levels. Still, cutting down (or jettisoning completely) the use of alcohol while in college would be a good thing. The problem: that's a completely unrealistic expectation for those living away from home for the first time.

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Frat parties, bar nights, drinking games -- college is filled with opportunities to throw back a few drinks with friends. But what seems like harmless, youthful fun can quickly turn dangerous when binge drinking is involved. It's an activity that's problematic at any age, but when binge drinking is mixed with the new found freedom and responsibility of college, the combination can be deadly. A new study has found, however, that when high-risk students are placed in an intervention program, their risk of negative consequences from binge drinking were reduced.

Adults age 18 to 29 drink more than any other age group, and college students drink more than their non-student counterparts, making them prime for this type of intervention. When over 500 students from nearly 100 residence halls across Sweden were randomly assigned to intervention, the students who received the cognitive skills-type training reduced their alcohol consumption more than those in other groups.

Hopefully campus leaders are listening. Though partying may be a rite of passage in college, it can be taken too far very quickly. Reducing binge drinking would prevent accidents, alcohol poisoning, not to mention time lost from work, class, and other social and personal problems problematic drinking can cause. What's your take on this issue?

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Since 1991, the death rate from middle-aged men from alcohol-related causes has doubled, according to new figures just released today. Men in England between ages 35 and 54 have suffered the biggest rise in alcohol-related deaths in the last 15 years according to the Office for National Statistics.

One the the quotes connected with the story seems all too obvious -- "Binge drinkers should take especial note of the rise in the number of people aged between 35 and 54 who are now dying." That statistic comes as no surprise to me at all -- binge drinking is dangerous at any age I would think.

This study was taken from England, and specifically the London area -- but similar figures could probably be labeled for many cultures around the world where binge drinking is a new pastime (unfortunately).

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