Type Of Alcoholic Beverage Research Articles

Abstract 4168: Alcohol consumption and risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women: the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study

Abstract Introduction: Epidemiologic studies have consistently shown an association between alcohol use and invasive postmenopausal breast cancer. Experimental data suggest that alcohol intake increases risk of breast cancer through its effect on estrogen, but observational studies of the association between alcohol use and breast cancer according to hormone receptor status have been sparse and inconsistent. In this context, we investigated if the relation between alcohol and breast cancer differed by hormone receptor status in postmenopausal women. Methods: We analyzed 184,418 postmenopausal women (mean baseline age of 62 years) in the prospective NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study. At baseline, we assessed alcohol and other nutrient intakes with a food frequency questionnaire, and collected data on demographics, lifestyle, and medical history. We used Cox proportional hazards models to calculate relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusting for age, race, height, body mass index (BMI), physical activity, smoking history, parity, age at first birth, age at menopause, family history of breast cancer, frequency of breast biopsy, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use, and intakes of fat, folate and energy. Results: During an average of 7 years of follow-up, we identified 5,461 invasive breast cancer cases. 2,391 cases had hormone receptor status information: 1,641 ER+/PR+ cases, 366 ER-/PR-, 336 ER+/PR-, and 48 ER-/PR+ cases. 30.0% of women did not drink alcohol; the mean alcohol intake among drinkers was 8.2g/day (10th-90th percentile = 0.4-20.1 g/day). Alcohol was associated with increased risk of breast cancer: compared to no alcohol, the multivariate RR(95% CI) for <5, 5-<10, 10-<20, 20-<35, 35-<45 and >45g/day of intake, were 1.04 (0.98-1.11), 1.05 (0.93-1.17), 1.14 (1.03-1.26), 1.25 (1.09-1.42), 1.32 (1.00-1.74), 1.38 (1.17-1.62) ( p for trend<0.001), respectively. ER+/PR+ tumor types showed a stronger association with alcohol than ER-/PR- tumor types: compared to no alcohol, the multivariate RR(95% CI) for <1, 1-<3, and ≥3 drinks/day, were, respectively, 1.07 (0.95-1.20), 1.32 (1.12-1.56), 1.51 (1.13-2.02) for ER+/PR+ tumors, 1.02 (0.80-1.30), 1.48 (1.05-2.08), 0.76 (0.35-1.66) for ER-/PR- tumors, and 1.11(0.86-1.44), 1.17 (0.80-1.71), 1.56 (0.85-2.89) for ER+/PR- tumors. The associations were similar for alcoholic beverage types. Compared to no intake, the multivariate RR (95% CI) for 1-<3 and ≥3 drinks/day were 1.20 (0.99-1.55) and 1.73 (1.22-2.46) for beer; 1.20 (1.07-1.35) and 1.41 (0.87-2.28) for wine; and 1.27 (1.12-1.44) and 1.25 (1.04-1.51), respectively, for liquor. No significant alcohol-breast cancer interactions were observed with BMI, HRT use, family history of breast cancer, and folate intake. Conclusion: Alcohol consumption, even at moderate levels, increased the risk of breast cancer. This positive association was largely confined to ER+/PR+ tumors.

Beverage Preference and Risk of Alcohol-Use Disorders: A Danish Prospective Cohort Study

The purpose of this study was to examine whether preferred type of alcoholic beverage influences the later risk of alcohol-use disorders (AUD). A prospective cohort study was used, comprising three updated measures of alcohol intake and covariates, and 26 years of follow-up data on 18,146 individuals from the Copenhagen City Heart Study, Denmark. The study population was linked to three different registers to detect AUD registrations. For both genders, wine drinking was associated with lower risk of AUD irrespective of the weekly amount of alcohol consumed. Women drinking 15-21 drinks per week of only beer and distilled spirits had a risk of 15.8 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.8-33.3) for AUD, whereas those whose total alcohol intake comprised more than 35% wine had a risk of 2.0 (CI: 0.7-5.2). Men drinking 15-21 drinks per week of only beer and distilled spirits had a risk of 3.1 (CI: 1.8-5.4), whereas those whose total alcohol intake comprised more than 35% wine had a risk of 0.8 (CI: 0.3-2.1). Consuming more than 35% beer increased the risk of AUD for women, whereas the percentage of distilled spirits intake did not influence the risk of AUD for either women or men. Individuals who include wine when they drink alcohol have lower risks of AUD, independent of the total amount of alcohol consumed. The most likely explanation of these results is that lifestyle factors and personal characteristics are associated with beverage preference.

Patterns of Alcohol (Especially Wine) Consumption and Breast Cancer Risk: A Case-Control Study among a Population in Southern France

The association between alcohol consumption and breast cancer has been largely investigated, but few studies have investigated the effects of average intake when the pattern of drinking is taken into account. We sought to examine the association between drinking pattern of alcoholic beverages, particularly wine, and breast cancer using different statistical approaches. Our study included 437 cases of breast cancer, newly diagnosed in the period 2002-2004, and 922 residence- and age-matched controls. Women who had an average consumption of less than 1.5 drinks per day had a lower risk (odds ratio [OR] = 0.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.34-0.97) when compared with nondrinkers. This protective effect was due substantially to wine consumption since the proportion of regular wine drinkers is predominant in our study population. Furthermore, women who consumed between 10 and 12 g/d of wine had a lower risk (OR = 0.51; 95% CI = 0.30-0.91) when compared with non-wine drinkers. Above 12 g per day of wine consumption, the risk of breast cancer increased, but the association was nonsignificant. Although no association between the pattern of total alcohol consumption and breast cancer was found, the type of alcoholic beverage seemed to play an important role in this association. Our results support the hypothesis that there is a threshold effect that risk decreased or was not modified for consumption under a certain threshold. Above that threshold, risk increased, however. The drinking pattern of each type of specific beverage, especially wine, seems important in terms of alcohol-breast cancer association. Low and regular wine consumption does not increase breast cancer risk.

The incidence and severity of hangover the morning after moderate alcohol intoxication

To determine the incidence and covariates of hangover following a night of moderate alcohol consumption at a targeted breath alcohol level. Data were combined from three randomized cross-over trials investigating the effects of heavy drinking on next-day performance. A total of 172 participants received either alcoholic beverage (mean=0.115 g% breath alcohol concentration) or placebo on one night and the other beverage a week later. The next day, participants completed a hangover scale. Participants were 54 professional merchant mariners attending a recertification course at Kalmar Maritime Academy (Kalmar, Sweden) and 118 university students or recent graduates recruited from greater Boston. One trial was conducted at Kalmar Maritime Academy (Sweden); the other two were conducted at the General Clinical Research Center at Boston Medical Center. A nine-item scale assessed hangover. Hangover was reported by 76% of participants. Neither alcoholic beverage type nor participant characteristics was associated with incidence of hangover. Our findings on the propensity of hangover suggest that 25-30% of drinkers may be resistant to hangover.

Alcohol and laryngeal cancer: an update

Epidemiological studies provide definite evidence that alcohol drinking is an independent risk factor for laryngeal cancer. This risk increases with the amount of alcohol consumed: in a meta-analysis of 20 studies conducted in North America, Europe, Japan and Korea the multivariate relative risks were about 2 for 50 g ( approximately 4 drinks)/day and about 4 for 100 g/day compared to nondrinkers, in the absence of evidence of a threshold. Genetic polymorphisms in the alcohol-metabolizing enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenases have been found to be associated with upper aerodigestive tract cancer, including the larynx. Further, the risk increases by concomitant tobacco smoking, each agent approximately multiplying the effect of the other. In the absence of smoking, the relative and absolute risks are small for moderate alcohol consumption, but there is an increased risk for elevated alcohol consumption. After stopping drinking, some fall in risk becomes apparent only in the long term. The supraglottis is more closely related to alcohol consumption, as compared to the glottis/subglottis. In various populations, the most commonly used alcoholic beverage appears to be the one most strongly associated with laryngeal cancer risk, suggesting that no meaningful difference exists for different types of alcoholic beverages.

Typologie des contrevenants à l’alcoolémie routière et modalités des prises en charge

Background In order to improve knowledge on the typology of drinking drivers, their clinical management and their outcome in terms of alcohol consumption following treatment, 1086 drinking drivers attending one of the 18 outpatient centres for the care of alcoholics participating to the study were studied; those requiring long-term therapy or those mandated to treatment were followed-up during one year. Most of them (95%) were men with a mean age of 38 years. The drinking-driving offence was recorded during an alcohol spot-check (62%), following a traffic accident (23%) or a traffic offence (15%). For 35%, it was the second offence and 19% have been mandated to treatment. Alcohol consumption before checking were based on spirits in 67% of cases and only wine or beer for the remaining 33%. Severe alcohol problems (i.e. abuse or dependence) were diagnosed in 38%, both in men and women. Mean blood alcohol level was 1.6 g/l, without any difference according to sex; it was significantly increased in those checked following a traffic accident, in those having drank spirits, wine and beer and in those having a severe alcohol problem. Follow-up was organized for those mandated to treatment and for a third of the others, including mainly those second-offenders and those with a severe alcohol problem. Observance to appointments were similar in both groups. At the end of follow-up (350 subjects were concerned), 75% were either non- or moderate drinkers while the 25% remaining were still abuser or dependent; the single parameter independently and significantly associated to an absence of alcohol behaviour improvement was “to be mandated to treatment” (RR = 4,4 CI [2,03–9,69], p < 0.001). Our results confirm the high prevalence of severe alcohol problems in drinking drivers and demonstrate that women are concerned as much as men. They assess that since increased blood alcohol levels in drivers are observed whatever the type of alcoholic beverages consumed, all these latter without any exception are dangerous when drank in excess before driving. Finally, our results suggest that mandating to treatment a drinking driver should be discussed and its efficacy revisited.

Hippocampal volume loss in patients with alcoholism is influenced by the consumed type of alcoholic beverage

The individual extent of structural brain tissue changes in patients with alcohol dependence is influenced by genetic factors, gender, age and possibly a dose/duration-effect. Aim of the present study was to investigate different types of alcoholic beverages with regard to hippocampal volume loss in patients suffering from alcoholism. We included 52 patients with alcohol dependence and divided them according to their preferred type of beverage consumption (beer, wine, and spirits). Hippocampal volumes were determined using volumetric high-resolution MR imaging. There was a significant difference in hippocampal volumes between patients consuming different beverages (ANOVA: F = 7.454; df = 2; P = 0.0015) with the smallest volumes in the wine group, followed by the spirits group. Furthermore, patients with a preferred spirits consumption showed significantly higher plasma homocysteine levels (ANOVA: F = 3.39; df = 2; P = 0.042). Linear regression analyses revealed an association of homocysteine and hippocampal volume only in the group of patients preferring spirits (R(2) = 0.364; P = 0.008). Homocysteine-mediated excitotoxicity may be an important pathophysiological mechanism in ethanol-related brain damage, particularly in patients consuming wine and spirits. The extent of brain atrophy in beer consuming patients seems to be more moderate.

The relationship between teenage ‘binge’ drinking, age of first alcohol consumption and intoxication

This paper is an investigation into the relationships between ‘binge’ drinking in adolescence, and ages of first drinking alcohol (beer, wine, spirits) and of first intoxication. These relationships are examined using data collected as part of the UK component of the European School Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD). This single phase cross sectional survey elicited self‐report data from a national sample of 1710 school students aged 15 and 16 years. It has been suggested that the early onset of alcohol consumption is predictive of heavy drinking and/or alcohol‐related problems in later life. This possibility is examined by estimating within‐gender effects of earlier age of first drinking alcohol (beer, wine, spirits)/first intoxication on the likelihood of (more frequent) recent ‘binge’ drinking (i.e. ‘binge’ drinking in the last 30 days). Another line of enquiry is examination of between‐gender effects of first drinking alcohol (beer, wine, spirits)/first intoxication at a particular age on the likelihood of (more frequent) recent ‘binge’ drinking. Proportional odds logistic regression has been used to investigate relationships of interest. There was no evidence to suggest statistical associations between ‘binge’ drinking and the ages of first drinking beer or of first intoxication. Even so, ‘binge’ drinking was found to be associated with the age of first drinking wine and the age of first drinking spirits. Furthermore, these associations were significantly different for girls and boys. Nearly two‐thirds of the within‐gender effects of earlier age of first drinking wine or spirits on ‘binge’ drinking examined were statistically non‐significant. Those results that were significant revealed that, with one exception, boys/girls who first drank wine or spirits earlier in life were more likely to ‘binge’ drink than individuals of the same gender who first drank wine or spirits later in life or who have never consumed wine or spirits. The exception was boys who first drank wine at 15–16 years of age; they were less likely to drink in ‘binges’ than boys who have never drunk wine. This exploration suggests that early first drinking experience with any type of alcoholic beverage is not necessarily a risk factor for ‘binge’ drinking amongst UK teenagers.

Alcoholic Beverages and Incidence of Dementia: 34-Year Follow-up of the Prospective Population Study of Women in Goteborg

The objective of this study was to assess the association between different types of alcoholic beverages and 34-year incidence of dementia. Among a random sample of 1,462 women aged 38-60 years and living in Göteborg, Sweden, in 1968-1969, 164 cases of dementia were diagnosed by 2002. At baseline as well as in 1974-1975, 1980-1981, and 1992-1993, the frequency of alcohol intake, as well as other lifestyle and health factors, was recorded and related to dementia with Cox proportional hazard regression, by use of both baseline and updated covariates. Wine was protective for dementia (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.6, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.4, 0.8) in the updated model, and the association was strongest among women who consumed wine only (HR = 0.3, 95% CI: 0.1, 0.8). After stratification by smoking, the protective association of wine was stronger among smokers. In contrast, consumption of spirits at baseline was associated with slightly increased risk of dementia (HR = 1.5, 95% CI: 1.0, 2.2). Results show that wine and spirits displayed opposing associations with dementia. Because a protective effect was not seen for the other beverages, at least part of the association for wine may be explained by components other than ethanol.

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

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 beverage type, problem drinking and self-reported health status

Alcohol beverage type, problem drinking and self-reported health status

Rastreamento de uso de álcool por gestantes de serviços públicos de saúde do Rio de Janeiro

To assess the prevalence of suspected cases of alcohol use during pregnancy in women seeking care in public health services. Cross-sectional study comprising 537 women randomly selected in public maternity hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil, from March to October 2000. A well-trained team of female interviewers used the instruments Cut-down, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye-opener (CAGE), Tolerance Cut-down, Annoyed, Eye-opener (T-ACE) and Tolerance Worry Eye-opener Annoyed Cut-down (TWEAK) to assess suspect cases of alcohol misuse. The Chi-square test was used in the analysis according to socioeconomic and demographic variables. About 40% of women informed having used any type of alcoholic beverage during pregnancy. Beer was the most frequently used drink (83.9%). Depending on the measurement instrument used, estimates of alcohol misuse varied from 7.3% to 26.1%. Suspected cases of alcohol abuse were more common among non-white, older and less educated women; those not living with a partner; those reporting use of tobacco and illicit drugs either by one or both partners in a couple; and those with little social support. High prevalence of suspected alcohol misuse and its overlapping with several risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes indicate this is an important issue of public health concern requiring continuous screening during prenatal care.

Determination of mouth alcohol using the Dräger Evidential Portable Alcohol System

Drivers suspected of alcohol intoxication are observed for a period of 15 min prior to quantitative breath alcohol testing. This is to preclude the interference of alcohol-based substances such as cough medicine, mouthwash, and breath spray just prior to actual evidential testing. To determine whether a 15 min observation period was necessary when performing evidential breath tests in the field, a mouth alcohol experiment was performed using the Dräger Evidential Portable Alcohol System (EPAS). Five types of alcohol beverages and the effects of expectorating versus swallowing were tested on twenty-five volunteer subjects. Serial measurements of breath and blood alcohol levels were performed at fixed time intervals. All alcohol beverage types gave two sequential measurements within 0.02 g/210 L of each other before 15 min had passed. Fifteen minutes was necessary to ensure there was no residual mouth alcohol. If the 15 min waiting period was not observed, the safety feature of the EPAS requiring two sequential measurements 2 min apart within 0.02 g/210 L would not ensure against mouth alcohol interference.

Relationship of alcohol consumption and type of alcoholic beverage consumed with plasma lipid levels: differences between Whites and African Americans of the ARIC study.

Alcohol consumption has been shown to contribute to a favorable lipid profile, and most studies have reported a reduction in coronary heart disease risk with low-to-moderate consumption of alcohol that is generally attributed to the beneficial effects of alcohol on lipids. The influence of different types of alcoholic beverages on plasma lipid levels has been investigated to a lesser extent and in limited populations. We investigated the effect of overall alcohol consumption, as well as the type of alcoholic beverage consumed, on multiple lipid measures in the large bi-ethnic population of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study. We found both low-to-moderate and heavy alcohol consumption, regardless of the type of alcoholic beverage consumed, to result in significantly greater levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, HDL3 cholesterol, and apolipoprotein A-I in both white and African-American males and females. Associations with other lipid measures contrasted between whites and African Americans, with greater levels of alcohol consumption resulting in significantly greater triglyceride levels in African Americans. Our results confirm previous studies associating alcohol consumption, regardless of beverage type, with greater HDL cholesterol levels, with additional consistent associations detected for the major HDL cholesterol density subfraction, HDL3 cholesterol, and the major HDL cholesterol structural apolipoprotein, apolipoprotein A-I.

To Drink or Not to Drink? That Is the Question

Numerous studies have used a J-shaped or U-shaped curve to describe the relationship between alcohol use and total mortality. The nadir of the curves based on recent meta-analysis suggested optimal benefit at approximately half a drink per day. Fewer than 4 drinks per day in men and fewer than 2 per day in women appeared to confer benefit. Reductions in cardiovascular death and nonfatal myocardial infarction were also associated with light to moderate alcohol intake. Although some studies suggested that wine had an advantage over other types of alcoholic beverages, other studies suggested that the type of drink was not important. Heavy drinking was associated with an increase in mortality, hypertension, alcoholic cardiomyopathy, cancer, and cerebrovascular events, including cerebrovascular hemorrhage. Paradoxically, light-to-moderate alcohol use actually reduced the development of heart failure and did not appear to exacerbate it in most patients who had underlying heart failure. Numerous mechanisms have been proposed to explain the benefit that light-to-moderate alcohol intake has on the heart, including an increase of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, reduction in plasma viscosity and fibrinogen concentration, increase in fibrinolysis, decrease in platelet aggregation, improvement in endothelial function, reduction of inflammation, and promotion of antioxidant effects. Controversy exists on whether alcohol has a direct cardioprotective effect on ischemic myocardium. Studies from our laboratory do not support the concept that alcohol has a direct cardioprotective effect on ischemic/reperfused myocardium. Perhaps the time has come for a prospectively randomized trial to determine whether 1 drink per day (or perhaps 1 drink every other day) reduces mortality and major cardiovascular events.

Potential mechanism for Calvados-related oesophageal cancer

The old Normandian habit of consumption of hot Calvados is associated with an increased risk of oesophageal cancer compared to other alcoholic beverages. The role of alcohol consumption in the risk of oesophageal cancer is well established. The first metabolite of alcohol, acetaldehyde is a potential local carcinogen in humans. Accordingly, different acetaldehyde concentrations in different beverages could account for some of the variations in cancer risk with regard to the type of alcoholic beverage. Eighteen samples of farm-made Calvados were collected in Normandy. Samples of commercially available beverages were purchased, including factory-made Calvados, other spirits, wines, beer and cider. The samples were analysed gas-chromatically for acetaldehyde and ethanol concentrations. All results are expressed as mean ± SD. The mean acetaldehyde concentration of all Calvados samples (1781 ± 861 μM, n = 25) differed highly significantly ( p < 0.001) from that of all wine samples (275 ± 236 μM), from all other spirits samples (1251 ± 1155 μM, p < 0.05), and from all beer and cider samples (233 ± 281 μM, p < 0.001). Farm-made Calvados and farm-made cognac had the highest mean acetaldehyde concentration of the measured beverages. The high concentration of acetaldehyde combined with possible effects of the high temperature at which Calvados is consumed could account for the increased risk of Calvados-related oesophageal cancer.

Microalbuminuria is a negative correlate for cognitive function in older adults with peripheral arterial disease: results from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2002

Microalbuminuria (MA) has been increasingly identified as a marker of cardiovascular risk. Although poor cognitive function has been implicated as a sequelae of increased cardiovascular burden, little is known about the association between MA and cognitive function. Population-based cross-sectional study. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2002 in the USA. 2049 noninstitutionalized adults (>/=60 years) with nonmissing values in cognitive test, urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) and ankle-brachial blood pressure index (ABPI) was analysed. Participants with UACR >300 microg mg(-1) were excluded. The UACR, in the unit of microg mg(-1), was calculated by dividing the urinary albumin value by the urinary creatinine concentration. MA was defined as UACR between 30 and 300 microg mg(-1). Cognitive function was measured by a 2-min Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). Peripheral artery disease (PAD) was defined as an ABPI <0.9 in either leg. Overall speaking, MA was inversely associated with DSST score after controlling for age, sex, race, body mass index and educational level (regression coefficient = -2.8, P = 0.002). There was an effect modification of PAD on the association between MA and the DSST score. Amongst participants with PAD, the DSST score for those with MA was lower than those without MA (beta = -6.3, P = 0.003) after multivariate adjustment. Moreover, participants with PAD in the highest quartile of UACR had significantly lower DSST score compared to those in the lowest quartile (beta = -8.7, P = 0.001). There was no association between MA and cognitive function amongst participants without PAD. We observed an additive effect of MA and PAD on DSST score. Participants with both MA and PAD had a lower mean DSST score compared to those without both conditions (beta = -6.2, P = 0.003). The presence of MA or a higher level of urinary albumin excretion was inversely associated with cognitive function in participants with PAD.

Cultural Convergence: Consumer Behavioral Changes in the European Wine Market

The paper illustrates a comparative study of alcoholic beverage consumption in the European Union. Per capita consumption data for the countries studied were examined over a 55-year period. Consumer behaviors in developed countries of the European Union appear to be converging in many ways due to increasing interconnectedness and cultural cross-fertilization. Economists and consumer researchers are interested in identifying this convergence and to what extent the consumption patterns are becoming similar. As national borders and traditional cultural boundaries become blurred, consumer preferences for types of alcoholic beverages, particularly wine, appears to be driven less by previous regional traditions, and more by growing acceptance of a cultural change. In particular, this study finds that the dissimilarity of wine consumption has narrowed significantly between the northern and southern European countries.

Alcoholic beverages and risk of renal cell cancer

Using a mailed questionnaire, we investigated the risk of renal cell cancer in relation to different types of alcoholic beverages, and to total ethanol in a large population-based case–control study among Swedish adults, including 855 cases and 1204 controls. Compared to non-drinkers, a total ethanol intake of >620 g month−1 was significantly related to a decreased risk of renal cell cancer (odds ratio (OR) 0.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.4–0.9; P-value for trend=0.03). The risk decreased 30–40% with drinking more than two glasses per week of red wine (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.4–0.9), white wine (OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.4–1.0), or strong beer (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.4–1.0); there was a clear linear trend of decreasing risk with increasing consumption of these beverages (P-values for trends <0.05).

Lifetime and baseline alcohol intake and risk of colon and rectal cancers in the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition (EPIC)

Alcohol consumption may be associated with risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), but the epidemiological evidence for an association with specific anatomical subsites, types of alcoholic beverages and current vs. lifetime alcohol intake is inconsistent. Within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), 478,732 study subjects free of cancer at enrolment between 1992 and 2000 were followed up for an average of 6.2 years, during which 1,833 CRC cases were observed. Detailed information on consumption of alcoholic beverages at baseline (all cases) and during lifetime (1,447 CRC cases, 69% of the cohort) was collected from questionnaires. Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine the alcohol-CRC association. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, lifetime alcohol intake was significantly positively associated to CRC risk (hazard ratio, HR=1.08, 95%CI=1.04-1.12 for 15 g/day increase), with higher cancer risks observed in the rectum (HR=1.12, 95%CI=1.06-1.18) than distal colon (HR=1.08, 95%CI=1.01-1.16), and proximal colon (HR=1.02, 95%CI=0.92-1.12). Similar results were observed for baseline alcohol intake. When assessed by alcoholic beverages at baseline, the CRC risk for beer (HR=1.38, 95%CI=1.08-1.77 for 20-39.9 vs. 0.1-2.9 g/day) was higher than wine (HR=1.21, 95%CI=1.02-1.44), although the two risk estimates were not significantly different from each other. Higher HRs for baseline alcohol were observed for low levels of folate intake (1.13, 95%CI=1.06-1.20 for 15 g/day increase) compared to high folate intake (1.03, 95%CI=0.98-1.09). In this large European cohort, both lifetime and baseline alcohol consumption increase colon and rectum cancer risk, with more apparent risk increases for alcohol intakes greater than 30 g/day.