By Gagandeep Ghuman
Published: June 3, 2015
Squamish is one among the top BC communities for binge drinking, according to a new My Health, My Community survey conducted by Vancouver Coastal Health, Fraser Health and UBC.
Whistler topped in binge drinking, with 48 per cent of survey respondents in Whistler reporting binge drinking once or more per month. Squamish came close second with 33 per cent reporting binge drinking.
The national average is 24 per cent.
The survey defines binge drinking as having five or more drinks on one occasion for men, and four or more drinks on one occasion for women.
“We found in the survey across Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley and coastal regions that binge drinking is higher among younger adults and among males,”Dr. Victoria Lee of the Fraser Health Authority told the CBC.
Lee said binge drinking is associated with other health problems, such as increased risk of cardiovascular disease or injuries.
Binge drinking was one of about 100 questions asked by the survey of 33,000 residents in the areas covered by the Vancouver Coastal and Fraser health authorities. The $650,000 survey, conducted by the health authorities in partnership with University of B.C. experts in 2012 and 2013, is meant to help communities make decisions around services and future demands.
Dr. Patricia Daly, chief medical health officer of Coastal Health, said the survey helps fill a gap left by the federal government’s discontinuation of the long form census.
