(LiveScience) A majority of adults in the United States consume
alcohol, and these drinkers, on average, have four beverages per
week, with beer the preferred choice, according to an annual
Gallup survey. Two-thirds of Americans reported that they
consume alcohol at least occasionally, according to the poll
conducted July 9-12. When asked how many drinks they had in the
past week, 34 percent of these drinkers said none, 52 percent
said one to 7, and 12 percent said eight or more. Gallup found
that 22 percent of drinkers said they sometimes drink too much,
up from 17 percent last year. This year's figure, however, is
similar to the percentages in most other years over the past
decade, according to a statement from the research firm. When
asked which kind of alcohol they drink most often, 39 percent of
those surveyed said beer, 35 percent said wine and 22 percent
said liquor. But these numbers hide a gender divide in
preference. The slight majority of male drinkers, 55 percent,
said they most often drink beer,