Data Guides: Health Risks and Behaviors

Binge drinking in past 30 days

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) respondents who had at least one drink during the past 30 days were asked, "Considering all types of alcoholic beverages, how many times during the past 30 days did you have X (X = 5 for men, X = 4 for women) or more drinks on an occasion?" Responses were grouped into two categories: Yes and No. Respondents who reported consuming at least 5 drinks (men) or at least 4 drinks (women) on an occasion one or more times during the past 30 days were defined as Yes. Respondents who did not have at least one drink during the past 30 days or who drank less than 5 drinks (men) or 4 drinks (women) on all occasions were defined as No.

Binge drinking in past 30 days data available: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Defined based on:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sociodemographic differences in binge drinking among adults―14 states, 2004. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2009;58:302–4.

Body mass index category

BRFSS respondents were asked, "About how tall are you without shoes?" and "About how much do you weigh without shoes?" Height was reported in feet and inches or meters and centimeters and was converted to meters for analysis; weight was reported in pounds or kilograms and was converted to kilograms for analysis. Body mass index (BMI) was computed using the formula: (weight[kg]/height[m]²). Respondents were grouped into four categories: Obese, Overweight, Normal Weight, or Underweight.

• Respondents with a BMI ≥30.0 were defined as Obese.
• Respondents with a BMI from 25.0 to 29.9 were defined as Overweight.
• Respondents with a BMI from 18.5 to 24.9 were defined as Normal Weight.
• Respondents with a BMI <18.5 were defined as Underweight.

Analyses excluded

• Pregnant women
• Any respondent who reported a weight <50 pounds or ≥650 pounds
• Any respondent who reported a height <3 feet or ≥8 feet
• Any respondent who reported a BMI <12 or ≥100.

Body Mass Index category data available: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Defined based on:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. State-specific prevalence of obesity among adults―United States, 2007. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2008;57:765–8.

• National Institutes of Health. Clinical guidelines on the identification, evaluation, and treatment of overweight and obesity in adults: the evidence report. Bethesda, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 1998.

Aerobic physical activity

BRFSS respondents were asked about their aerobic physical activity. To measure aerobic physical activity, respondents were asked, "During the past month, other than your regular job, did you participate in any physical activities or exercises such as running, calisthenics, golf, gardening, or walking for exercise?" Those who responded "Yes" were then asked three questions:

• "What type of physical activity or exercise did you spend the most time doing during the past month?"
• "How many times per week or per month did you take part in this activity during the past month?"
• "And when you took part in this activity, for how many minutes or hours did you usually keep at it?"

Respondents were asked these questions again for the type of physical activity that gave them the next most exercise during the past month.

Analyses were based on the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, which indicated that adults should have at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week, 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week, or an equivalent combination of the two. Responses were grouped into three categories: Sufficiently Active, Insufficiently Active, and Inactive.

• Respondents who reported enough physical activity to meet the aerobic guidelines were defined as Sufficiently Active.
• Respondents who reported any physical activity but not enough to meet the guidelines were defined as Insufficiently Active.
• Respondents who reported no physical activity were defined as Inactive.

Aerobic physical activity data available: 2017 and 2019.

Related Indicators:

• Physical Activity Guidelines

Defined based on:

• Communication with the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP)

• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2008 physical activity guidelines for Americans. Hyattsville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2008. [Updated 2009 Nov 4; Cited 2010 Jul 12].

Physical activity guidelines

BRFSS respondents were asked about their aerobic and muscle strengthening physical activity. To measure aerobic physical activity, respondents were asked, "During the past month, other than your regular job, did you participate in any physical activities or exercises such as running, calisthenics, golf, gardening, or walking for exercise?" Those who responded "Yes" were then asked three questions:

• "What type of physical activity or exercise did you spend the most time doing during the past month?"
• "How many times per week or per month did you take part in this activity during the past month?"
• "And when you took part in this activity, for how many minutes or hours did you usually keep at it?"

Respondents were asked these questions again for the type of physical activity that gave them the next most exercise during the past month.

To measure muscle strengthening physical activity, respondents were asked, "During the past month, how many times per week or per month did you do physical activities or exercises to STRENGTHEN your muscles? Do NOT count aerobic activities like walking, running, or bicycling. Count activities using your own body weight like yoga, sit-ups, or push-ups and those using weight machines, free weights, or elastic bands."

Analyses were based on the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, which indicated that adults should do muscle strengthening activities 2 or more days per week and should have at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week, 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week, or an equivalent combination of the two. Responses were grouped into four categories: Meets Both Aerobic and Muscle Strengthening, Meets Aerobic Only, Meets Muscle Strengthening Only, and Meets Neither.

• Respondents who reported enough physical activity to meet the aerobic and muscle strengthening guidelines were defined as Meets Both Aerobic and Muscle Strengthening.
• Respondents who reported enough physical activity to meet the aerobic guideline but not the muscle strengthening were defined as Meets Aerobic Only.
• Respondents who reported enough physical activity to meet the muscle strengthening guideline but not the aerobic were defined as Meets Muscle Strengthening Only.
• Respondents who reported no physical activity or not enough physical activity to meet either the aerobic or muscle strengthening guideline were defined as Meets Neither.

Physical activity guidelines data available: 2017 and 2019.

Related Indicators:

• Aerobic physical activity

Defined based on:

• Communication with the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP)

• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2008 physical activity guidelines for Americans. Hyattsville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2008. [Updated 2009 Nov 4; Cited 2010 Jul 12].

Smoking status

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System respondents were asked, "Have you smoked at least 100 cigarettes in your entire life?" and "Do you now smoke cigarettes every day, some days, or not at all?" Responses were grouped into three categories: Current Smoker, Former Smoker, and Never Smoker.

• Respondents who reported smoking at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and who, at the time of survey, smoked either every day or some days were defined as Current Smoker.
• Respondents who reported smoking at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and who, at the time of the survey, did not smoke at all were defined as Former Smoker.
• Respondents who reported never having smoked 100 cigarettes were defined as Never Smoker.

Smoking status data available: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Related Indicators:

• Attempted to quit smoking in past 12 months
• Currently use e-cigarettes

Defined based on:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. State-specific secondhand smoke exposure and current cigarette smoking among adults―United States, 2008. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2009;58:1232–5.

Attempted to quit smoking in past 12 months

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System respondents who were current everyday smokers were asked, "During the past 12 months, have you stopped smoking for one day or longer because you were trying to quit smoking?" Responses were grouped into two categories: Yes and No.

Attempted to quit smoking in past 12 months data available: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.

Related Indicators:

• Smoking status
• Currently use e-cigarettes

Defined based on:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. State-specific prevalence of cigarette smoking among adults and quitting among persons aged 18-25 years―United States, 2006. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2007;56:993–6.

Currently use e-cigarettes

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System respondents were asked about their use of e-cigarettes or other electronic "vaping" products. Responses were grouped into two categories: Yes and No.

• Respondents who, at the time of the survey, reported using these products every day or some days were defined as Yes.
• Respondents who, at the time of the survey, reported not using these products were defined as No.
• Respondents who reported never having used these products were defined as No.

Currently use e-cigarettes data available: 2016, 2017, 2021, and 2022.

Related Indicators:

• Smoking status
• Attempted to quit smoking in past 12 months

Definition based on:

• Syamlal G, Jamal A, King BA, Mazurek JM. Electronic cigarette use among working adults—United States, 2014. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2016;65:557–61.

Tested for HIV

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System respondents 18 through 64 years of age were asked, "Have you ever been tested for HIV? Do not count tests you may have had as part of a blood donation. Include testing fluid from your mouth." Responses were grouped into two categories: Yes and No.

Tested for HIV data available: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Defined based on:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV testing―United States, 2001. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2003;52:540–5.