Abstract: ObjectiveTo understand drinking behaviors and patterns among employed floating population in Guangdong Province.MethodsFloating population were selected through multistage clustering sampling method, stratified by 6 major industries in 12 counties and districts from Guangdong Province in 2012. The drinking status of the migrant population 12 months before the census was analyzed, including drinking frequency and amount of all types of alcoholic beverages.ResultsA total of 4 276 floating population were included in the study, including 2 372 males and 1 904 females. Most participants were aged 18 - 29 years, accounting for 39.1% (1 673/4 276) of the total. A majority of participants had education level at junior middle school (41.1%; 1 757/4 276).　The overall prevalence rate of drinking was 48.7% in the last 12 months. Logistic regression analysis showed that women were less likely to drink alcohol than men（OR=0.18）；participants aged 30-39 years (OR=0.67) and 40-49 years (OR=0.75）were less likely to drink alcohol than those aged 18-29 years; participants with the education level at junior high school (OR=1.16) and high school / technical secondary school (OR=1.78）were more likely to drink alcohol than those with primary school. The daily alcohol intakes were 5.9 g for male drinkers and 1.4 g for females. Prevalence rates of excessive drinking, dangerous drinking, and harmful drinking among male drinkers were 6.1%, 1.7%, and 1.7% for male drinkers, but 3.3%, 0.96%, and 1.5% for the females, respectively. Overall, 40.7% (637/1 562) of male drinkers and 10.2% (53/520) of the female drinkers experienced binge drinking behavior. Of male drinkers, differences in prevalence rates of excessive drinking behavior and binge drinking behavior were statistically significant between different levels of education (P< 0.05 or < 0.01); differences in the prevalence rates of excessive alcohol consumption were not statistically significant between different age groups or occupation groups (all P> 0.05).ConclusionDrinking behavior was prevalent among floating population in Guangdong Province. Difference in drinking behavior was significant between genders. Different levels of education had obvious difference in excessive drinking and binge drinking behaviors.