Posted Tuesday, January 10, 2012 --- 12:26 p.m.

ATLANTA (AP) -- New government statistics show college-age binge drinkers average an astounding nine drinks each time they get drunk.

Binge drinking is when someone consumes four or five alcoholic beverages on one occasion. Health officials lament it contributes to problems like drunk-driving accidents, violence and fetal alcohol syndrome.

About 17 percent of the adults surveyed said they'd had an episode of binge drinking in the previous month. It was more common for those ages 18 to 34.

The report is based on telephone surveys last year of more than 450,000 U.S. adults. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released it on Tuesday.