It’s no secret that many Americans love a glass of wine with dinner or a beer while watching their favorite team. According to a report from World Population Review, many people are having more than what is considered a safe amount to consume. 

In the U.S., one drink is considered 0.6 ounces of pure alcohol. This is the equivalent to 12 ounces of beer, 8 ounces of malt liquor, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits or liquor (40 percent alcohol proof).

The average American drinks 8.8 liters of pure alcohol per year. This exceeds recommended guidelines of 8.3 liters. Most states have set a goal of less than 2.5 liters of consumption per year. 

New Hampshire has the highest level of alcohol consumption in the U.S., averaging 4.76 gallons per person. Utah has the lowest consumption at 1.34 gallons per year. Experts believe this is due to strict alcohol regulations in the state. Nine states have a consumption level of less than 2.1 gallons per person. 

1. New Hampshire - 4.67 gallons
2. District of Columbia - 3.77 gallons
3. Delaware - 3.52 gallons
4. Nevada - 3.42 gallons
5. North Dakota - 3.16 gallons
6. Montana - 3.1 gallons
7. Vermont - 3.06 gallons
8. Idaho - 2.94 gallons
9. Wisconsin - 2.93 gallons
10. Colorado - 2.88 gallons

According to experts, men and women have different benchmarks for what is considered heavy drinking. For women, this works out to be eight or more drinks per week, while men are considered heavy drinkers if they have 15 or more drinks per week. Binge-drinking is defined as having four or more drinks during a single occasion for women, and five or more drinks for men. 

Over time this can take a toll on the body including causing strokes, high blood pressure, heart arrhythmias and cardiomyopathy. Excessive drinking can also cause issues with the liver, alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver. 

High alcohol consumption can also lead to an increased risk of liver cancer, colorectal cancer and breast cancer. 

More than 10,000 people die every year in the U.S. due to drunk driving accidents.