Correlates of alcoholic beverage preference: traits of persons who choose wine, liquor or beer

Abstract

We studied correlates of wine, hard liquor or beer preference among 53,172 white men and women in a Northern California prepaid health plan. Preference for a beverage type was reported by 51% of drinkers; 22% of persons with a preference reported exclusive use of the preferred beverage. Persons who prefer wine are likely to be women, temperate, young or middle-aged, non-smokers, better educated and free of symptoms or risk of illness. Persons who prefer liquor are likely to be men, heavier drinkers, middle-aged or older, less educated and afflicted with symptoms or risk factors for major illnesses. Persons who prefer beer are likely to be young men who are intermediate between wine and liquor preferrers for most traits. The traits of persons reporting exclusive use of a beverage type were similar. These data identify correlates of beverage choice which need to be controlled for in alcohol-health studies.

Patterns of alcohol consumption in 10 European countries participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) project

“…Women on average consume less alcohol than men 30,31 , drink more slowly and more often with meals 27 and have different preferences to men with regard to alcoholic beverages 30,32 . These differences in drinking habits might explain the lower incidence of several alcohol-related diseases in women than in men 33,34 .…”

Wine drinking and diet in Italy

“…The correlates of various types of alcoholic beverage have been investigated in several populations (Klatsky et al, 1990;Grùnbñk et al, 1998;Tjùnneland et al, 1999), but the issue remains open to discussion.…”

“…A study from California also showed that wine drinkers were more educated and smoked less than beer or liquor drinkers (Klatsky et al, 1990).…”

Article

“…Kvinnor å sin sida dricker av sociala och rituella skal; for att markera situationens festlighet och vid hogtider; oftare vin an starka drycker, och oftare utan att bli berus ad an de blir berus ad e (Becker & Kronus 1977;Chomak & Collins 1987;Klatsky et al 1990;Giesbrecht & Farinon 1991).…”