Two in three Australian women go on the binge

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Two out of three Australian women binge drink, with some knocking back more than 11 alcoholic beverages in a single sitting, according to a survey.

The online survey of 2,000 women, by the Australian Women's Health magazine, found that two-thirds of respondents admitted to downing more than five standard units of alcohol while out with friends, the definition of bingeing.

Fourteen percent of respondents admitted to drinking between 16 to 20 drinks in a single night while about seven per cent said they had knocked back more than 20 drinks in a sitting.

The survey results were published in Australian media.

Australia, producer of world-renowned beers and wines, has a strong drinking culture, where not buying a "shout" or a round of drinks when out with friends is socially unacceptable.

According to the Alcohol Education Rehabilitation Foundation alcohol misuse and abuse in Australia costs the economy more than $7.6 billion a year.

"We are seeing signs of increased numbers of women admitted to hospital after binge drinking and we are paying for the cost through the burden on the health system," said Australian Drug Foundation director Geoff Munro.

"It's another sign that Australians are very tolerant of unsafe drinking."

(Writing by Miral Fahmy; editing by Roger Crabb)