This is how alcohol consumption in South Dakota compares to other states

(Center Square) – There is a growing body of evidence that suggests that any alcohol consumption, however moderate, can have negative health consequences. Even low levels of drinking increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and certain types of cancer – and as alcohol consumption rises, so do the health risks and alcohol-related deaths.

Understanding that there is no such thing as risk-free drinking, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines moderate drinking as 2 drinks or less per day for men and no more than one drink per day for women. Still, despite the well-publicized health risks, more than two-thirds of adult drinkers regularly exceed those levels.

In some parts of the country, excessive drinking is far more common than in others. According to data from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, South Dakota residents consumed 2.34 gallons per resident 14 and older in 2020, the 22nd lowest among states. Nationwide, alcohol consumption was 2.45 gallons per person the same year. However, 24.4% of South Dakotan adults drink excessively, the third highest rate in the nation.

The health risks posed by excessive alcohol consumption go beyond chronic conditions. A reported 36.1% of all driving deaths in South Dakota between 2016 and 2020 involved alcohol.

Data on alcohol-related driving fatalities came from the 2022 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute joint program.