Positive Health Online

Abstract

MANNISTO and colleagues, National Public Health Institute, Department of Nutrition, Helsinki Finland studied the associations of alcohol beverage drinking with macronutrients, antioxidants and body mass index.

Background

Methodology

985 women and 863 men aged 25-64 years of age were drawn from the population register in the four monitoring areas of the 1992 Finmonica cardiovascular risk factor survey in Finland. The participants were mailed a questionnaire including questions relating to socioeconomic factors, physical activity, smoking and alcohol consumption. Diet was assessed using a 3-day food record.

Results

Dietary differences between abstainers and alcohol consumers were more significant than between consumers of different alcoholic beverages. Fat intake as a percentage of energy intake was higher and carbohydrate intake lower in drinkers compared to abstainers. Wine drinkers, however, had the highest vitamin C intake and female wine drinkers also had the highest carotenoid intake. With the exception of those who mainly preferred spirits, alcohol energy was not added to the diet but seemed to substitute food items both for men and women. Male drinkers were leaner than abstainers, despite the similar total daily energy intakes, daily energy expenditure and physical activity index. For women, the proportion of underreporters of energy intake increased with increasing alcohol consumption, and the association between alcohol and body mass index was similar to men after the exclusion of underreporters.

Conclusion

: Alcohol consumers were leaner than abstainers and wine drinkers had more antioxidants in their diet.

References

Mannisto S et al. Alcohol beverage drinking, diet and body mass index in a cross-sectional survey. Eur J Clin Nutr 51(5): 326-32. May 1997.