Prevalence patterns of alcohol consumption and factors associated with problematic drinking on remote islands of Okinawa, Japan: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to investigate the drinking behavior on the remote islands of Okinawa Prefecture. Patients/Materials and Method: This was a cross-sectional study conducted with residents of Okinawa Prefecture's small, isolated islands. Between October 1 and December 3, 2014, island residents over 20 years of age who visited island clinics for an annual health checkup or influenza vaccination were recruited. An anonymous entry survey was administered to those who provided their consent. The survey included information on age, sex, presence or absence of drinking, age at drinking initiation, smoking status, comorbidities, and family and social background. The Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) was used to assess alcohol consumption. Participant characteristics were analyzed descriptively, and logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess relationships between the high-risk drinking group (AUDIT score ≥10 points) and other measured variables (age, sex, age at drinking initiation, smoking, residence, and employment status). Results: Compared to the results of a national survey in 2013, there was a significantly higher prevalence of male island residents who drank ≥40 g of alcohol per day and female island residents who drank ≥20 g/day, levels which are considered risk factors for lifestyle diseases. Among both male and female island residents, there were significantly higher proportions of those with AUDIT scores ≥8 points, referred to as high-risk drinkers, and those with AUDIT scores ≥20, individuals considered to have probable alcohol dependence, as compared to the results of the national survey. In a logistic regression analysis, factors related to high-risk drinking included younger age, male sex, smoking history, inoccupation, and underage drinking initiation. Conclusion: This is the first report on drinking behavior among inhabitants of Okinawa's remote islands. The degree of alcohol consumption is serious and must be recognized as a regional health problem.

Characteristics of women who dropped out from pregnancy register in Okinawa, Japan: Findings from a retrospective cohort study

“…One possible reason for this is the low statistical power owing to the low prevalence of smokers and drinkers. However, the prevalence of problematic alcohol drinking in Okinawa was much higher than that in a national survey in Japan 41 . Thus, the questionnaire and interview might fail to detect actual smoking and drinking habits because of underreporting based on the social norms that pregnant women should avoid.…”

“…However, the prevalence of problematic alcohol drinking in Okinawa was much higher than that in a national survey in Japan. 41 Thus, the questionnaire and interview might fail to detect actual smoking and drinking habits because of underreporting based on the social norms that pregnant women should avoid. Furthermore, we found a significant relationship between alcohol consumption and the high prevalence of dropout in the 20s age group, but not in other age groups (Table 4).…”

The prevalence and determinant factors for alcohol abuse in Gondar city’s preparatory schools: a cross-sectional study

“…The influence of the religion that they follow on the societal level of alcohol use has been stated in many published manuscripts. 17,26 Those who go to a religious place are less likely to go there to practice alcohol abuse. As compared to never going, the interview results also showed that the student's alcohol usage was due to family history factors or their personality and peer influences that exposed them to being alcohol addicted.…”

Diet and longevity in the Blue Zones: A set-and-forget issue?

“…Despite the obvious challenges of adapting these diets to the general population, investigating the Blue Zones' eating regimes and their historical evolution makes for an exciting field of study. Subtropical [8] Mediterranean [8] Mediterranean [8] Tropical [8] Daily energy intake per capita (kcal) < 2000 [31] <1500 [88] 2,600 [58] 2,392 [89] Obesity rate (%, BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) 10-40 [90] 12.5 [88] 9.8 [91] 23.6 [76] Frequency of intake in times/wks* Vegetable Fruits Total dairy Meat, poultry Fish Alcoholic beverages 5.0 4.0 3.0 1.0 0.5 ++ [92] 4.1 4.8 n.a. 1.5 1.8 + [9] 2.3 3.2 6.4 1.5 0.4 ++ [9] 6.1 4.5 3.6 3.2 1.3 ++ [76] Hardness in drinking water ++ [37] - [93] + [94] +++ [80,81] *Authors' elaboration from different sources…”