Hard Liquor Consumption Research Articles

Patterns of childhood maltreatment and maternal substance use disorder on the development of emerging adult offspring substance use.

Exposure to child maltreatment and maternal substance use disorder represent two highly consequential and co-occurring experiences of family-level adversity for the development of concerning substance use behaviors among offspring. The present study uses latent class analysis to identify how characteristics of childhood maltreatment and maternal substance use disorder naturally cluster. Further, this study investigates how distinct patterns of maltreatment and maternal substance use differentially predict emerging adult substance use in offspring. Participants (N = 405) were drawn from a longitudinal follow-up study of emerging adults who participated in a research summer camp program as children. Wave 1 of the study included 674 school-aged children with and without maltreatment histories, all of whom experienced low socioeconomic status. Patterns of child maltreatment experiences, based on coded Child Protective Services record data, and maternal substance use behaviors, per a diagnostic interview, were used to predict Wave 2 (emerging adulthood) substance use. Results indicated that children who were exposed to a pattern of multitype maltreatment and multitype maternal substance dependence, relative to those exposed to multitype maltreatment alone, reported greater alcohol dependence symptoms during emerging adulthood. Additionally, these same individuals reported greater past-year hard liquor consumption relative to those who experienced chronic, multitype maltreatment and maternal alcohol dependence. These findings highlight how a pattern of maternal polysubstance use and multitype maltreatment is particularly consequential for the intergenerational transmission of substance use behaviors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The effect of perceived weight status and BMI perception on food attitudes and food relationships.

Obesity has been a national epidemic throughout the United States due to the increasingly sedentary western lifestyle, paired with calorically dense abundant low-nutritional food options. Discussing weight necessitates the conversation of not only the numerical value (body mass index [BMI]) associated with obesity but also the perceived weight or how an individual categorizes their weight, irrespective of their calculated BMI classification. Perceived weight can influence food relationships, overall health, and lifestyle habits. The purpose of this study was to identify differences in dietary habits, lifestyle habits, and food attitudes among three groups: those correctly identifying as "obese" with a BMI >30 (BMI Corrects [BCs]), those incorrectly identifying as "obese" with a BMI <30 (BMI Low Incorrect [BLI]), and those incorrectly identifying as "nonobese" with a BMI >30 (BMI High Incorrect [BHI]). An online cross-sectional study was conducted from May 2021 to July 2021. Participants (n=104) responded to a 58-item questionnaire regarding demographics (n=9), health information (n=8), lifestyle habits (n=7), dietary habits (n=28), and food attitudes (n=6). Frequency counts and percentages were tabulated, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) testing was conducted to examine the associations utilizing SPSS V28 at a statistical significance level of p<0.05. Participants incorrectly identifying as "obese" with a BMI <30 (BLI) had higher food attitude scores, indicating worse food attitudes, behaviors, and relationships with food compared to participants correctly identifying as "obese" with a BMI >30 (BC) and incorrectly identifying as "non-obese" with a BMI >30 (BHI). When comparing BC, BLI, and BHI participants, no statistically significant differences were found in dietary habit scores, lifestyle habit scores, weight change, or nutritional supplement or diet started. However, overall, BLI participants had worse food attitude scores and consumption habits when compared to BC and BHI participants. Even though dietary habit scores were not significant, an examination of specific food items revealed significant findings, in which BLI participants had higher consumption of potato chips/snacks, milk, and olive oil/sunflower oil, compared to BHI participants. BLI participants had higher beer and wine consumption compared to BC participants. Additionally, BLI participants had higher carbonated beverages, low-calorie beverages, and margarine and butter consumption compared to BHI and BC participants. BHI participants had the lowest hard liquor consumption, BC had the second lowest hard liquor consumption, and BLI participants had the highest consumption of hard liquor products. The findings of this study have shed light on the intricate relationship that exists between perceived weight status from a "nonobese/obese" perspective and attitudes toward food and the overconsumption of particular food items. Participants who perceived their weight status as "obese" despite having a calculated BMI below the CDC threshold and classification for "obesity" had poorer relationships with food, consumption behaviors, and on average consumed food items that were detrimental to overall health. Comprehending a patient's weight status perception and conducting a thorough history of their food intake could play a crucial role in addressing the patient's overall health and medically managing this population.

Trauma, loss and other psychosocial drivers of excessive alcohol consumption in Karamoja, Uganda

This article investigates the trends, drivers and effects of alcohol consumption in Karamoja, a primarily pastoralist area of Uganda. Although locally brewed alcohol from sorghum and millet has an important and long-standing place in Karamojong tradition, the emerging trend of excessive consumption of hard liquor is a cause for concern among government and health officials, development practitioners and, especially, community members themselves. This article explores the varied reasons for this rise in hard liquor consumption, particularly in Karamoja’s post-disarmament period. The article is based on data collected in mid-2018, as well as information gleaned from the authors’ engagement in the region over the past decade. The peace and security ushered in by the disarmament exercises of the 2000s has, on the one hand, opened up the once isolated region politically and economically. Conversely, it has accelerated external interest in Karamoja’s economic wealth, leading to further disenfranchisement of its people due to dispossession of land. Emerging from the trauma of the disarmament exercise, the drastic loss of livestock and livelihoods and the continuing negligence of pastoralism by the state, Karamoja’s rural as well as peri-urban communities are undergoing a remarkable loss not only of their economic systems, but also of their socio-cultural identity. Acknowledging the specific trauma and loss experienced by individuals and communities provides a lens through which to better understand the excessive alcohol consumption. These psychosocial factors, along with the economic and political aspects, must be considered in efforts to address this continuing crisis in the region.

Longitudinal study of alcohol consumption and HDL concentrations: a community-based study

Background: In cross-sectional studies and short-term clinical trials, it has been suggested that there is a positive dose-response relation between alcohol consumption and HDL concentrations. However, prospective data have been limited.Objective: We sought to determine the association between total alcohol intake, the type of alcohol-containing beverage, and the 6-y (2006–2012) longitudinal change in HDL-cholesterol concentrations in a community-based cohort.Design: A total of 71,379 Chinese adults (mean age: 50 y) who were free of cardiovascular diseases and cancer and did not use cholesterol-lowering agents during follow-up were included in the study. Alcohol intake was assessed via a questionnaire in 2006 (baseline), and participants were classified into the following categories of alcohol consumption: never, past, light (women: 0–0.4 servings/d; men: 0–0.9 servings/d), moderate (women: 0.5–1.0 servings/d; men: 1–2 servings/d), and heavy (women: >1.0 servings/d; men: >2 servings/d). HDL-cholesterol concentrations were measured in 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2012. We used generalized estimating equation models to examine the associations between baseline alcohol intake and the change in HDL-cholesterol concentrations with adjustment for age, sex, smoking, physical activity, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, liver function, and C-reactive protein concentrations.Results: An umbrella-shaped association was observed between total alcohol consumption and changes in HDL-cholesterol concentrations. Compared with never drinkers, past, light, moderate, and heavy drinkers experienced slower decreases in HDL cholesterol of 0.012 mmol · L−1 · y−1 (95% CI: 0.008, 0.016 mmol · L−1 · y−1), 0.013 mmol · L−1 · y−1 (95% CI: 0.010, 0.016 mmol · L−1 · y−1), 0.017 mmol · L−1 · y−1 (95% CI: 0.009, 0.025 mmol · L−1 · y−1), and 0.008 mmol · L−1 · y−1 (95% CI: 0.005, 0.011 mmol · L−1 · y−1), respectively (P < 0.0001 for all), after adjustment for potential confounders. Moderate alcohol consumption was associated with the slowest increase in total-cholesterol:HDL-cholesterol and triglyceride:HDL-cholesterol ratios. We observed a similar association between hard-liquor consumption and the HDL-cholesterol change. In contrast, greater beer consumption was associated with slower HDL-cholesterol decreases in a dose-response manner.Conclusion: Moderate alcohol consumption was associated with slower HDL-cholesterol decreases; however, the type of alcoholic beverage had differential effects on the change in the HDL-cholesterol concentration.

A new management approach for esophageal perforation

We present the case of a 40-year-old man with spontaneous esophageal perforation following an episode of ethanol intoxication. The diagnosis of perforation was delayed due to refusal of intervention. Endoscopic examination of the upper part of the esophagus revealed the tear above the gastroesophageal junction. A Polyflex self-expanding coated stent (Willy Ruesch GMBH, Kernen, Germany) was placed, isolating and sealing the area of perforation and restoring esophageal continuity. A left thoracoscopy was performed to drain and debride the mediastinum. The patient was discharged eating a regular diet and the Polyflex stent was removed 1 month later. This case is unique because a combined minimally invasive approach was used to manage a complex potentially fatal surgical emergency, which was previously handled through open thoracotomy. Because we combined video-assisted thoracic surgery and upper esophageal endoscopy, the patient experienced minimal morbidity and a short hospital stay with rapid return to activities of daily living. We believe this is the first reported case in which these combined modalities were used in the primary management of spontaneous esophageal perforation. Clinical Summary A 40-year-old man celebrated graduate school completion with an evening of hard liquor consumption. Three hours later, he began having indigestion and epigastric discomfort, followed by intermittent vomiting and retching. The patient was taken to his local hospital because of back pain and difficulty breathing.

Is beer the drink of choice for women with alcohol use problems? —Positive alcohol outcome expectancies as a function of beverage type

The primary goal of this study was to evaluate whether women with alcohol problems report differences in their strength of endorsement of specific positive outcome expectancies as a function of alcoholic beverage type. Fifty-four participants completed the Beverage Expectancy Questionnaire (BEQ) that assessed five specific positive outcome expectancies across three different beverage types (i.e., wine, beer, hard liquor). Participants endorsed the strongest expectancies of Social/Sexual Enhancement, Global Positive Affect and Relaxation in the beer-specific context as compared to the wine-specific context. Levels of consumption were significantly higher overall for hard liquor than for wine in the sample as a whole. Quantity of wine drinking was predicted by wine-specific Arousal and Personality Transformation expectancies; quantity of beer drinking was predicted by beer-specific Arousal expectancies; quantity of hard liquor consumption was predicted by hard liquor-specific Personality Transformation, Relaxation, and Arousal expectancies. Clinical implications of the findings and future research directions are discussed.

Demographic, health, lifestyle, and blood vitamin determinants of serum total homocysteine concentrations in the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988–1994

Elevated serum total homocysteine (tHcy) is an independent risk factor for vascular diseases. Associations between serum tHcy and demographics, health and lifestyle factors, and blood vitamin concentrations were investigated. Data from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988-1994 were used to examine associations in men (n = 2965) and women (n = 3580) between tHcy and age, sex, race-ethnicity, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, alcohol consumption, supplement use, red blood cell (RBC) folate, and serum creatinine, folate, vitamin B-12, and cotinine (a measure of cigarette smoking). The unadjusted mean tHcy was 21.5% ( approximately 1.9 micro mol/L) higher in men than in women, 11.8% ( approximately 1.1 micro mol/L) higher in non-Hispanic whites than in Mexican Americans, 42% ( approximately 3.7 micro mol/L) higher in persons aged > or = 70 y than in persons aged < 30 y, and 10.9% ( approximately 1.0 micro mol/L) higher in supplement nonusers than in supplement users. The tHcy concentration was negatively associated with serum folate (P < 0.0001 for trend), RBC folate (P < 0.0001 for trend), and serum vitamin B-12 (P < 0.0036 for trend) and was positively associated with alcohol consumption (P < 0.0001 for trend), serum cotinine (P < 0.0001 for trend), and systolic blood pressure (P < 0.0001 for trend). Consumption of hard liquor (but not of beer or wine) was positively associated with tHcy concentration (P < 0.0001 for trend). In this population-based study, the significant predictors of tHcy concentration were sex, age, race-ethnicity, serum creatinine, systolic blood pressure, body mass index, hard-liquor consumption, smoking, supplement use, serum folate, RBC folate, and serum vitamin B-12.

Cigarette and alcohol consumption and the risk of colorectal cancer in Shanghai, China.

The relation of cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking to colorectal cancer risk has been inconsistent in the epidemiological literature. In a population-based case-control study of colorectal cancer in Shanghai, China, where the incidence rates are rising sharply, we examined the association with tobacco and alcohol use. Cases were aged 30-74 years and newly diagnosed with cancers of the colon (N = 931) or rectum (N = 874) between 1990 and 1992. Controls (N = 1552) were randomly selected among Shanghai residents, frequency-matched to cases by gender and age. Information on lifetime consumption of tobacco and alcohol, as well as demographic and other risk factors, was obtained through in-person interviews. Associations with cigarette smoking and alcohol use were estimated by odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Among women, the prevalence of smoking and alcohol drinking was low, and no significant association with colon or rectal cancer was observed. Although cigarette smoking among men was not related overall to colon or rectal cancer risk, there was a 50% excess risk of rectal cancer (OR 1.5, 95% CI 0.9-2.5) among those who smoked 55 or more pack-years. Among men, former alcohol drinkers had an increased risk of colon cancer (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.4-3.7) but not rectal cancer, while current drinkers had a 30-50% excess risk of colon cancer only among those with long-term (30+ years) and heavy (>560 g ethanol/week) consumption. The excess risks were mainly associated with hard liquor consumption, with no material difference in risk between proximal and distal colon cancer. Although cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking in general were not risk factors for colorectal cancers in Shanghai, there were small excess risks for rectal cancer among heavy smokers and colon cancer among heavy drinkers.

Parental Cigarette Smoking, Hard Liquor Consumption and the Risk of Childhood Brain Tumors-A Case Study in Northeast China

In this study we examine the effect of parents' lifestyles on the risk of childhood brain tumors. Parents of 82 children newly diagnosed with primary malignant brain tumors and 246 individually matched hospital controls were interviewed in the hospital wards between September 1991 and December 1996. Data were collected on socioeconomic status, parental lifestyle prior to and during the pregnancy, and family history. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were derived through conditional logistic regression. The risk of childhood brain tumors was associated with paternal use of hard liquor prior to the pregnancy: the odds ratios were 3.72 (95% CI = 1.91-7.26) for < or = 15 years of hard liquor consumption and 4.06 (95% CI = 1.09-15.21) for > or = 16 years of hard liquor consumption compared with never consuming hard liquor (test for trend p = 0.0001); the odds ratios increased with increasing lifetime hard liquor consumption. There is little evidence to support an association between childhood brain tumors and parents' smoking prior to or during pregnancy.

Alcoholic Beverage Consumption and Lung Cancer Risk among Residents of Los Angeles County1–6

Although studies generally support a positive association between alcohol consumption and lung-cancer risk, the relationship between specific alcoholic beverages and lung-cancer risk has been inconsistent. We examined recent and past alcoholic beverage intake among 261 incident cases and 615 population controls enrolled in a lung-cancer case-control study of African Americans and Caucasians in Los Angeles County between 1991 and 1994. An in-person interview elicited information about past alcohol intake from ages 30 to 40 y, smoking, other lung-cancer risk factors, as well as recent intake of alcohol, and recent dietary intake. An association was observed between recent hard-liquor consumption and lung-cancer risk. The odds ratio (OR) for 1 or more drinks (1.5 oz or 0.051 mL) per day of hard liquor compared with infrequent liquor drinking (0–3 drinks per month), adjusted for smoking, the matching factors, saturated fat and other alcoholic beverages was 1.87 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.02–3.42]. No appreciable association was observed for total alcohol, whereas small inverse associations were observed for beer and wine, although confidence intervals were wide. An elevated lung-cancer risk was also observed for past liquor consumption (between ages 30 and 40 y). The adjusted OR for 1 or more drinks per day of liquor compared with infrequent drinkers was 1.83 (95% CI = 1.06–3.15). Confounding of the association between alcohol and lung cancer by smoking was apparent. Although we devoted considerable efforts to adjusting for smoking in our analyses, residual confounding is still possible because smoking and alcohol are closely associated. In addition, case-control studies including this study should be viewed with caution because of possible selection bias. An increased risk of lung cancer might occur with moderate drinking of hard liquor but confirmation is required in larger studies.

Analyzing the Impact of the Liquor Industry's Lifting of the Ban on Broadcast Advertising

Using evidence from available academic studies, the author provides insight into three issues of the liquor advertising policy debate: (1) Will hard liquor advertising increase hard liquor consumption? (2) What effect will hard liquor advertising have on public beliefs? and (3) Will warning labels or massages be effective? The author also provides recommendations for policymakers and advertisers.

Risk factors for laryngeal cancer

This case-control study comprised 100 histologically verified laryngeal cancer patients and 100 hospital controls matched with cases by sex, age and place of residence. The following variables were tested for their association with cancer of the larynx: marital status, educational level, hard liquor consumption, cigarette smoking, unfavorable working conditions, sudden and frequent temperature changes at work, cold housing, loud speech at work, frequent hoarseness, frequent and persistent cough, persistently swollen neck glands, tonsillectomy and laryngeal surgery. According to conditional logistic regression analysis, significant association with laryngeal cancer was found for unfavourable working conditions for more than 10 years (OR = 4.36; 95% CI = 1.92-9.91), hard liquor consumption for more than 5 years (OR = 2.59; 95% CI = 1.14-5.87), cigarette smoking for more than 10 years (OR = 7.29; 95% CI = 2.41-22.09), tonsillectomy (OR = 4.80; 95% CI = 1.61-14.30) and frequent and persistent cough prior to disease (OR = 8.17; 95% CI = 1.72-38.76).

Risk factors for laryngeal cancer.

One hundred seven patients afflicted with incident laryngeal cancer and 290 controls with diseases considered not related to tobacco and alcohol exposure were interviewed in the University Hospital of Montevideo, Uruguay. The study followed a case-referent design, and epidemiologic analysis was carried out at the Louisiana State University, New Orleans. Dark tobacco smoking was the strongest risk factor, with an RR 2.5 times higher than that showed by light (flue-cured) tobacco smokers and 35 times that of non-smokers. Alcohol exposure displayed lesser effects but its interaction with tobacco smoking resulted in very high risks (more than 100 times higher). Among particular types of alcoholic beverages, red wine showed RR's similar to those displayed by hard liquor consumption. The habit of drinking a local tea called "mate" was associated with a threefold increase in risk, after controlling for the effects of age and tobacco and alcohol consumption. Infrequent consumption of vegetables and fruits showed RR on the order of 2.7, suggesting a role of diet in the causation of laryngeal cancer.

Beer consumption and rectal cancer.

The association of beer drinking with cancer of the rectum was investigated in a case-control study of 130 male and 88 female rectal cancer cases and 336 male and 249 female controls. Information was obtained on consumption of beer, wine, and hard liquor throughout adulthood (quantity and duration), as well as on smoking and sociodemographic characteristics. Beer intake was not significantly associated with estimated risk of rectal cancer in females but was in males, with an increasing gradient in the odds ratio (OR) with increasing beer consumption. For drinkers of 32 or more ounces of beer per day, the OR was 3.5 (95% CI 1.8-7.0). No association was seen with duration of beer drinking. Wine and hard liquor consumption showed no association with the development of rectal cancer. In multiple logistic regression analyses, the relative risk for beer drinking was reduced slightly when potential confounding variables were included in the model (RR adjusted for religion and education: 2.7, 95% CI 1.3-5.7). The study results are discussed in the light of other epidemiological studies of rectal cancer and beer drinking. We conclude from the aggregate evidence that the association of beer drinking with rectal cancer is probably not causal and that the slightly elevated OR's observed for males in this study are most likely due to incomplete control for confounding variables.

Associations between cancer incidence and alcohol/cigarette consumption among five ethnic groups in Hawaii.

The average annual age-adjusted incidence rates of cancer for 15 sites were determined for 10 ethnic-sex groups in Hawaii. Consumption rates for cigarettes, beer, wine and hard liquor were also determined for the same 10 groups based on personal interview of a sample of 9920 individuals. Covariance analysis was used to adjust each exposure variable for the other three, and the cancer incidence rates were then linearly regressed on these covariance-adjusted consumption rates. Statistically significant regression coefficients were found for cancer of the tongue/mouth, pharynx, larynx, pancreas, lung, kidney and bladder regressed on cigarette consumption. Eight cancer sites, including tongue/mouth, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus, stomach, pancreas, lung and kidney, had significant positive regression coefficients for beer consumption which could not be explained by outlying values on the scattergram. Significant associations were also suggested between wine consumption and pharyngeal cancer and between hard-liquor consumption and pharyngeal, laryngeal and possibly brain cancer. No association was found between beer consumption and colorectal cancer. Multiple regression analysis with sex, cigarettes and alcoholic beverage as independent variables consistently found sex to be least important in determining cancer risk. This study supports the hypothesis that beer consumption may play a role in cancer risk for several sites. It is suggested that future studies of alcoholic beverages and cancer should examine not only types of alcoholic beverages, but individual brands of each type in an attempt to identify cancer risk due to carcinogens in only certain brands.