Abstract P147: Alcohol Consumption and Its Relation to Ectopic Adiposity in African Caribbean Men

Abstract

Introduction: Alcohol intake and ectopic fat are associated with cardiometabolic diseases. While previous studies primarily focused on visceral and/or liver fat, few studies to date have investigated the associations of alcohol intake with skeletal muscle fat infiltration, a fat depot which might contribute to the increased risk of diabetes and hypertension in African ancestry populations. Methods: Alcohol intake (drinks/day) was assessed using a 146-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire in the Tobago Health Study (N=800). Ectopic fat was measured in the abdomen and thigh in a subset of this cohort (N=706, mean age=63.94 (8.66) years, mean BMI=27.72 (4.65) kg/m 2 ) using computed tomography. Men were divided into current drinkers/not current drinkers, and the current drinkers were further subdivided into types of alcohol consumed (wine, beer/stout, or liquor). Results: A majority of men (56.1%) were not current drinkers. Of drinking men, 76.1% were light drinkers (<1 drink/day), 17.4% were moderate drinkers (1-3 drinks/day), and 6.5% were heavy drinkers (>3 drinks/day). Men who did not drink were slightly older (65.1 vs 62.5, p<0.001), with less visceral adiposity (91.4 vs. 101.9 cm 3 , p=0.002) and less psoas muscle fat (0.59 vs 0.64 cm 3 , p=0.017) than men who drank, independent of age. In fully adjusted models, drinking liquor was positively associated with BMI, waist circumference, visceral and subcutaneous adiposity, while drinking beer was positively associated with thigh muscle fat (Table). Conclusion: Alcohol intake was associated with greater ectopic fat accumulation in all studied compartments, except in the liver, in this cohort of African Caribbean men, who mostly had low alcohol consumption. We also report a novel finding that observed relationships differ by type of alcohol. † Adjusted for total energy intake, age, walking (hours/week), TV watching (≥14 hours/week), current smoking, diabetes, hypertension, and statin use status. * Additional adjustment for BMIHU = Houndsfield Units