Association of Drinking Pattern and Alcohol Beverage Type With the Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome, Diabetes, Coronary Heart Disease, Stroke, and Peripheral Arterial Disease in a Mediterranean Cohort

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between alcohol consumption and the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MetS), type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, peripheral arterial disease (PAD), and overall cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a Mediterranean cohort. It consisted of a cross-sectional analysis of a representative sample of Greek adults (n = 4,153) classified as never, occasional, mild, moderate, or heavy drinkers. Cases with overt CHD, stroke, or PAD were recorded. In our population, 17% were never, 23% occasional, 27% mild, 24% moderate, and 9% heavy drinkers. Moderate alcohol consumption was associated with a lower trend for the prevalence of the MetS (P = .0001), DM (P < .0001), CHD (P = .0002), PAD (P = .005), and overall CVD (P = .001) but not stroke compared with no alcohol use. Heavy drinking was associated with an increase in the prevalence of all of these disease states. Wine consumption was associated with a slightly better effect than beer or spirits consumption on the prevalence of total CVD, and beer consumption was associated with a better effect than spirits consumption. Alcohol intake was positively related with body weight, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and hypertension. Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a lower prevalence of the MetS, DM, PAD, CHD, and overall CVD but not stroke compared with no alcohol use in a Mediterranean population. Heavy drinking was associated with an increase in the prevalence of all of these disease states. Advice on alcohol consumption should probably mainly aim at reducing heavy drinking.

Alcohol Consumption and the Incidence of Hypertension in a Mediterranean Cohort: The SUN Study

“…Durante el seguimiento (mediana [intervalo intercuartílico], 4,2 [2,[5][6],1] años) se identificaron 554 casos incidentes de hipertensión entre 43.562 personasaño. La hazard ratio (HR) de hipertensión para un consumo de alcohol ≥ 5 días por semana fue 1,28 (intervalo de confianza [IC] del 95%, 0,97-1,70) comparados con abstemios.…”

“…During follow-up (median [interquartile range], 4.2 [2. [5][6].1] years), 554 incident cases of hypertension were identified over a total of 43,562 person-years. The hazard ratio for hypertension among those who consumed alcohol on ≥5 days per week was 1.28 (95% confidence interval, 0.97-1.7) compared to abstainers.…”

Population-based study in Lithuania: lifestyle factors and risk of metabolic syndrome

“…Results from Greek adult population study showed that moderate alcohol consumption was associated with a lower prevalence of MS compared with no alcohol use in a Mediterranean cohort [30]. Also wine consumption was associated with a slightly higher effect than beer or spirits consumption on the prevalence of total cardiovascular disease, and beer consumption [29][30][31]. The results of a crosssectional study, which was conducted among high cardiovascular risk participants of the Reus PREDIMED Centre, showed that red wine, as one component of the Mediterranean diet, was associated with lower prevalence of MS [31].…”

“…The results from Family Heart Study showed that alcohol consumption was associated with a lower prevalence of MS irrespective of the type of beverage consumed [28]. Results from Greek adult population study showed that moderate alcohol consumption was associated with a lower prevalence of MS compared with no alcohol use in a Mediterranean cohort [30]. Also wine consumption was associated with a slightly higher effect than beer or spirits consumption on the prevalence of total cardiovascular disease, and beer consumption [29][30][31].…”

“…[ [27][28][29][30][31]. The results from Family Heart Study showed that alcohol consumption was associated with a lower prevalence of MS irrespective of the type of beverage consumed [28].…”