Intake Of Alcoholic Beverages Research Articles

Abstract P030: Traditional Cultural Beliefs and Length of Residence in the United States are Associated With Dietary Intakes Among South Asians

Background: Studies of immigrants in the United States (U.S.) have shown mixed consequences of acculturation on diet and health outcomes. Detailed investigations examining diets of South Asians in the U.S. are lacking. Objective: To examine whether nutrient and food intakes among South Asians differ by traditional cultural beliefs and length of residence in the U.S. Methods: Cross-sectional analyses of data collected from 890 South Asians [mean age (SD): 55(9) y; 47% women] who were part of the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) Study. Dietary data were collected using an interviewer administered, validated, culturally appropriate food frequency questionnaire. Acculturation status was assessed by a South Asian traditional cultural beliefs scale which was categorized by tertiles as weak, moderate and strong beliefs, and by length of U.S. residence also categorized using tertiles. We computed daily adjusted mean intakes of selected nutrients across the traditional cultural beliefs and length of U.S. residence tertiles using ANCOVA. Final models were adjusted for age, sex, education, and daily energy intake. Differences in the consumption of foods and food groups (servings/week) between the groups were examined using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: Length of residence [mean 27 (10.8) y] in the U.S was directly associated with traditional cultural beliefs (P<0.001). Higher daily intakes of total fat, saturated fat, and dietary cholesterol were associated with weak traditional cultural beliefs and a longer length of residence in the U.S. Higher daily intakes of energy, carbohydrate, glycemic index and load, and protein were associated with strong traditional beliefs and a shorter length of residence in the U.S (P for trend <0.05). Weak traditional cultural beliefs and/or a longer length of residence in the U.S. were associated with higher weekly intakes of alcoholic beverages, meat, poultry, seafood and eggs, mixed dishes such as pizza and pasta, fats and oils, and lower intakes of beans and lentils, breads, grains and flour products, fried foods, milk and dairy products, nuts, rice and rice preparations and starchy vegetables (P for differences across groups <0.05). Conclusions: Cultural beliefs and length of residence in the U.S. both influence dietary intakes of South Asian immigrants. Unlike other immigrants, more acculturation in South Asians is associated with higher intakes of fat and animal protein and lower intakes of refined carbohydrates. These factors should therefore be considered when investigating and planning dietary interventions among South Indians to mitigate chronic disease risk.

Idiopathic spontaneous rupture of the urinary bladder - A rare cause of death

Spontaneous rupture of the urinary bladder is a rare clinical condition, with a prevalence of about 1 in 126.000 hospitalizations. Idiopathic rupture is even more rarely encountered, constituting less than 1% of all cases. Given the low incidence, atypical symptoms and poor history data, the diagnosis is often established late and treatment is delayed, resulting in a high rate of mortality. Also, spontaneous rupture of the urinary bladder may be a surprise at the autopsy. In this paper, the authors present the case of a 67 years old woman who died due to idiopathic spontaneous rupture of the urinary bladder after ingestion of alcoholic beverages. The autopsy showed no signs of pathological or traumatic injury and the toxicological examination revealed a blood alcohol concentration of 2.05 g ‰. The case is analyzed in the context of existing literature data, taking into account the elements of anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology that can determine or favour the idiopathic spontaneous rupture of the urinary bladder.

0212: Consumers of fresh dairy products and consumers of cheese exhibit different dietary patterns

Recommendations for healthy food choice emphasize the consumption of 2 to 3 servings of dairy products per day. We aimed to describe dietary patterns and adherence to recommendations according to the consumption of different types of dairy products. Data from the 2010 CCAF (Comportements et Consommations Alimentaires en France) cross-sectional survey with 7-day food record were analysed. Fresh Dairy Products (FDP) included all fresh dairy except dairy desserts and Greek yogurts. Cheese included all cheese except cottage cheese. The PANdiet (Probability of Adequate Nutrient intake) score was used to assess adherence to dietary recommendations. The sample comprised 948 French adults from the general population, 22% consumed no FDP and 30% were low FDP consumers (1 to 3 servings/week), 9% consumed no cheese and 37% were low cheese consumers (1 serving/day). Compared to low consumers, high FDP and cheese consumers were characterized by significantly (p<0.05) higher intakes of fruits and vegetables. High FDP consumers also exhibited significantly higher intakes of simple sugars (+25%) than low FDP consumers, and significantly lower intakes of pastas (-27%), ready-to-eat meals (-16%), and alcoholic beverages (-22%). No significant difference was observed for daily energy intake, total fat, saturated fat, or sodium. On the other hand, high cheese consumers exhibited significantly higher daily energy intake (+23%) and higher consumptions of alcohol (+96%), total fat (+31%), saturated fat (+41%) and sodium (+36%), compared to low consumers, with no difference for simple sugar intake. The PANdiet score was significantly better among high FDP consumers than among low, but significantly worse among high cheese consumers than among low. Consumers of FDP and consumers of cheese adopt different dietary patterns with varying intakes of sugars, fats, and sodium. Adherence to dietary recommendations is better among high FDP consumers.

The J-shaped Association Between Alcohol Consumption and Breast Cancer: A Case-Control Study

Background: Alcohol is considered to be a co-carcinogen as well as a tumor promoter, with several studies showing a linear dose-dependent association. However, moderate alcohol consumption has been found to be protective as far as cardiovascular diseases are concerned. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of alcohol intake with breast cancer. Design: It is a case – control study. Patients: Two hundred and fifty consecutive newly (within six months) diagnosed breast cancer patients with first developed breast cancer (56±12 years) and 250 age-matched controls were studied. Main Outcome Measures: A special questionnaire assessing various socio-demographic, clinical, lifestyle and dietary characteristics, was applied through face-to-face interviews. Moreover, frequency of alcohol intake (i.e., never, rarely, 3-4 times/month, 1-2 times/week, 3-4 times/week, daily) and type (i.e., red or white wine, beer, whisky, other beverages) of alcoholic beverages consumed were also recorded. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was evaluated using the MedDietScore (theoretical range 0-55). Results: Alcohol drinking on a weekly basis (i.e., 3-4 times/week) was associated with lower likelihood of having breast cancer (OR=0.16; 95%CI 0.03, 0.80), while higher consumption showed opposite results. Moreover, it was revealed that wine drinking was associated with lower odds of breast cancer (OR=0.60; 95%CI 0.35, 1.00) with no significant differences between red or white wine. Limitations: The major limitation of this study was the potential recall bias. Conclusions: Moderate alcohol intake, and especially wine consumption, seem to be associated with breast cancer prevention. Keywords: Diet, alcohol, breast cancer, nutrition.

Hyperuricemia and gout; the role of diet

From ancient times, gout has been related with excessive eating and drinking; however, it has not been until the last decade that a broader knowledge on dietary factors associated with hyperuricemia and gout has been achieved. Obesity, excessive intake of red meats and alcoholic beverages were already recognized as causal factors from Antiquity. Legumes and purine rich vegetables have been exculpated after the studies. New risk factors, not previously recognized, have been described such as fructose and sweetened beverages. Finally, protective factors have also been described, such as skimmed dairy products. Gout is characterized not only by an increase in uric acid, eventual episodes of arthritis, and chronic joint damage, but also by association with several comorbidities and increased cardiovascular risk. The adoption of more healthier dietary habits may contribute to better management of uricemia and also to a reduction of associated diseases. The most common practice recommendations according to current knowledge and the main treatment guidelines are reviewed. Additional studies are needed on the actual efficacy in clinical practice of the adoption of specific dietary measures on the management and clinical course of patients with hyperuricemia and gout.

Thirty‐year trends in alcoholic beverage consumption among U.S. adults (384.8)

Little is known about alcoholic beverage consumption trends from 1977‐2010 among US adults. To examine if disparities exist by socio‐demographic subgroups, we used multivariable linear and logistic regression models to examine trends in daily prevalence of drinking and per‐consumer intake of alcoholic beverage calories among Americans 蠅 19 years (n=80,987) from five surveys of dietary intake from 1977‐2010. Time interactions were tested for gender, age, race/ethnicity and income. From 1977‐2010, the daily prevalence of drinking alcohol doubled for men (17% to 31%) and women (8% to 17%). Increases were greatest for Non‐Hispanic Blacks (7% to 22%), Americans aged 60+, (9% to 22%) and those from low‐income households (7% to 20%). Among consumers, mean daily calories from alcoholic beverages increased significantly from 276 to 318 kcal/d between 1977‐78 and 2007‐2010. Intake was significantly higher for males compared to females, younger age groups compared to adults 60+ years, and Non‐Hispanic Whites (NHW) compared to Mexican Americans for all survey years. Men consumed significantly more calories from beer than women from 1977‐2010, whereas women consumed higher calories from wine from 1994‐2010. Trends in alcoholic beverage intake varied by socio‐demographic factors and suggest that males, younger adults, and NHW might be vulnerable to negative health effects of high consumption of alcohol calories.Grant Funding Source: Supported by NIH‐NRSA (Grant 5T32DK768620); Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (Grant 70017)

Association between intake of nutrients and food groups and liking for fat (The Nutrinet-Santé Study)

Apart from the established association between liking for fat and fat intake, little is known about the association between liking for fat and intake of specific nutrients or food groups. We investigated the association between dietary intake and liking for fat, fat-and-sweet and fat-and-salt. Liking scores were constructed using a validated preference questionnaire administered to 41,595 French adults participating in the Nutrinet-Santé study. Dietary data were collected using web-based 24 h records. Relationships between liking and dietary intake were assessed using linear regression adjusted for age and energy intake. Results are expressed in percentage difference of intake between individuals with low liking and those with high liking. Compared with participants with low liking for fat, individuals with a strong liking for fat had higher intakes of total energy (+10.1% in women (W); +8.4% in men (M)), fats (W: +7.3%; M: +10.0%), saturated fats (W: +10.8%; M+15.4%), meat (W: +13.0%; M: +12.6%), butter (W: +34.0%; M: +48.1%), sweetened cream desserts (W: +14.8%; M: +21.1%) and croissant-like pastries (W: +27.2%; M: +36.9). They also consumed lower quantities of omega-3 fatty acids (W: −6.2%;M: −6.0%), fiber (W: −16.4%; M: −18.9%), fruits (W: −28.8%; M: −29.5%), vegetables (W: −16.4%; M: −19.7%) and yogurt (W: −12.1%; M: −14.8%). Participants with high liking for fat-and-salt had higher intakes of total energy, sodium and alcoholic beverages and lower consumption of total and simple carbohydrates and fruit and vegetables than persons with high liking for fat-and-sweet. Our study contributes to the understanding of liking as a determinant of dietary intake. It highlighted that increased liking for fat, especially fat-and-salt liking, was associated with a lower intake of healthy foods, such as fruit and vegetables.

Alcohol drinking and upper aerodigestive tract cancer mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) cancer is among the most frequent cancer and the most common death causes of cancer in the world. Epidemiological studies have reported an inconsistent relationship between alcohol drinking and UADT cancer mortality. However, no systematic review or meta-analysis has been reported up to now. To quantify the association between alcohol drinking and UADT cancer mortality, we performed this meta-analysis. A literature search was carried out in PubMed and ISI Web of Science to identify all relevant epidemiological studies published before June 30, 2013. And the categorical and dose-response meta-analyses were used to evaluate the association between alcohol drinking and UADT cancer mortality. Ten studies involving 2976 UADT cancer deaths were included. Compared with non/occasional drinkers, the pooled relative risks (RRs) of UADT cancer mortality were 2.01 [95% confidence interval (CI)=1.56-2.59] for any, 1.26 (95% CI=0.94-1.67) for light (⩽ 12.5 g/day), 1.79 (95% CI=1.26-2.53) for moderate (12.6-49.9 g/day), and 3.63 (95% CI=2.63-5.00) for heavy (⩾ 50 g/day) drinkers, respectively. Dose-response analysis showed that the increment in daily alcohol consumption was associated with an increased risk of UADT cancer mortality continuously. This study provides evidence of a positive association between alcohol drinking and UADT cancer mortality, especially when alcohol consumption reaching moderate-to-heavy level. Thus, public health recommendation on UADT cancer prevention and control should consider limiting the intake of alcoholic beverages.

Use of the Alcoholic Beverage Parshot as the Staple Food in Dirashe Area, Southern Ethiopia with a Focus on the Nutritive Value and Intake of Alcoholic Beverages.

Use of the Alcoholic Beverage Parshot as the Staple Food in Dirashe Area, Southern Ethiopia with a Focus on the Nutritive Value and Intake of Alcoholic Beverages.

Ion-pair reversed-phase liquid chromatography–quadrupole-time-of-flight and triple-quadrupole–mass spectrometry determination of ethyl sulfate in wastewater for alcohol consumption tracing

Ethyl sulfate (EtS) is excreted in urine as a minor metabolite (0.010–0.016% on molar basis) after intake of alcoholic beverages, being a convenient biomarker for ethanol tracing after its determination in sewage. In this work, a new method for the direct determination of EtS in wastewater by liquid chromatography–(tandem) mass spectrometry (LC–MS(/MS)) has been developed. Different LC columns, mobile phases, and detection systems have been tested. Convenient retention by ion-pair reversed-phase LC was achieved by addition of 50mM tetrabutylamonium bromide to the sample. Also, a triple-quadrupole (QqQ) instrument and a quadrupole time-of-flight (QTOF) system were compared. The repeatability of both systems and linearity was comparable, with RSD≤10% in sewage samples. The QqQ instrument provided a better limit of detection (LOD=0.1μgL−1) than the QTOF system LOD (0.2μgL−1). However, the LOD of this last instrument was still good enough for wastewater concentrations, while avoiding problems with interferences on the QqQ not permitting positive identification with this last system. The stability of EtS was tested and it has proven to be stable in wastewater for at least one week at room temperature and more than one month at −20°C. The application of the method to samples collected during a week in a Galician (NW Spain) city showed EtS concentrations between 4 and 12μgL−1. This translated into a per capita consumption of pure ethanol in the range from 9 to 24mLday−1inh−1, observing an increase during the weekend compared to weekdays.

What role does moderate alcoholic beverage intake play in cardiovascular health?

Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the United States. Red wine consumption has been promoted for its positive effects on high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol; however, the effects of moderate and heavy alcoholic beverage consumption on cardiovascular health remain unclear. The objective of this cross‐sectional study is to investigate the role of alcoholic beverage intake on cardiovascular health. A total of 60 men and women aged 25 to 40 years old with a body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 35 will be included. Participants will be divided into seven quartiles (never or less than 1 drink per week, 1 drink per week, 2–3 drinks per week, 4–6 drinks per week, 1 drink per day, 2+ drinks per day, and 3+ drinks per day) based on their alcoholic beverage intake as indicated in the Beverage Questionnaires. Overnight fasting blood measurements will include C‐reactive protein and lipid profiles. Atherogenic risk ratios, waist‐to‐hip ratio, and BMI will be calculated. Body composition will be assessed using dual‐energy X‐ray. Seated blood pressure (BP) will be assessed by measuring resting brachial BP. Pearson correlation coefficients will be used to determine the relationship between variables of interest. The findings of this study will further our understanding of the role of alcoholic beverage consumption in cardiovascular health.Grant Funding Source: Dedman School of Hospitality

Alcohol Consumption among College Students Attending Healthcare Courses in an Institution in the South of Brazil

Objective: To know the socioeconomic profile and compare the patterns of alcohol consumption among freshmen and juniors attending healthcare courses at the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG), in Rio Grande, RS, Brazil. Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative descriptive study. The sample comprised 351 college students attending Biological Sciences (both teaching degree and bachelor’s degree), Physical Education, Nursing, Medicine and Psychology. Data were collected by a socio-demographic questionnaire and by the AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) and underwent descriptive analysis, analysis of variance, G-test and contingency tables. Results: Alcohol consumption was higher among women. Even though their drinking pattern was considered lowrisk level, students engaged in binge drinking and had occasional blackouts after the intake of alcoholic beverages. Conclusion: It is important to plan and implement educational programs with the students in order to clarify the National Alcohol Policy and warn them about the limits of low-risk drinking.

Use of the Alcoholic Beverage Parshot as Staple Food in Dirashe Area, Southern Ethiopia with Emphasis on the Nutritive Value and Intake of Alcoholic Beverages

Use of the Alcoholic Beverage <i>Parshot</i> as Staple Food in Dirashe Area, Southern Ethiopia with Emphasis on the Nutritive Value and Intake of Alcoholic Beverages

Dietary patterns and metabolic syndrome in a Japanese working population

BackgroundMetabolic syndrome has become a major public health concern, but the role of diet in the etiology of this syndrome is not well understood. This study investigated the association between major dietary patterns and prevalence of metabolic syndrome in a Japanese working population.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted among 460 municipal employees (284 men and 176 women), aged 21–67 years, who participated in a health survey at the time of periodic checkup. Dietary patterns were derived by using the principal component analysis of the consumption of 52 food and beverage items, which were assessed by a validated brief diet history questionnaire. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the modified NCEP-ATP III criteria. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between dietary patterns and metabolic syndrome with adjustment of potential confounding variables.ResultsThree dietary patterns were identified. Westernized breakfast pattern characterized by high intakes of bread, confectionaries, and milk and yogurt but low intakes of rice and alcoholic beverages was inversely associated with prevalence of metabolic syndrome and high blood pressure (P for trend = 0.02 and 0.049, respectively). Animal food pattern characterized by high intakes of fish and shellfish, meat, processed meat, mayonnaise, and egg was not associated with prevalence of metabolic syndrome, but was positively associated with high blood glucose (P for trend = 0.03). Healthy Japanese dietary pattern characterized by vegetables and fruits, soy products, mushrooms, and green tea was not appreciably associated with prevalence of metabolic syndrome or its components.ConclusionsThe results suggest that westernized breakfast pattern may confer some protection against metabolic syndrome in Japanese. The causality of these associations needs to be confirmed.

Systemic immune modulation induced by alcoholic beverage intake in obese-diabetes (db/db) mice

Alcohol over-consumption is generally immunosuppressive. In this study, the effects of single or repetitive alcohol administration on the systemic immunity of db/db mice were observed to clarify the possible mechanisms for the increased susceptibility of obese individuals to alcohol-related immunological health problems. Alcohol (as a form of commercially available 20% distilled-alcoholic beverage) was orally administered one-time or seven times over 2 weeks to db/db mice and normal C57BL/6J mice. Immunologic alterations were analyzed by observation of body weight and animal activity, along with proportional changes of splenocytes for natural killer cells, macrophages, and T and B lymphocytes. Modulation of plasma cytokine level and immune-related genes were also ascertained by micro-bead assay and a microarray method, respectively. The immune micro-environment of db/db mice was an inflammatory state and adaptive cellular immunity was significantly suppressed. Low-dose alcohol administration reversed the immune response, decreasing inflammatory responses and the increment of adaptive immunity mainly related to CD4(+) T cells, but not CD8(+) T cells, to normal background levels. Systemic immune modulation due to alcohol administration in the obese-diabetic mouse model may be useful in the understanding of the induction mechanism, which will aid the development of therapeutics for related secondary diseases.

Fatores associados a padrões alimentares em adolescentes: um estudo de base escolar em Cuiabá, Mato Grosso

To identify dietary patterns among adolescents and to assess their association with socioeconomic and lifestyle characteristics and nutritional status. A probabilistic clustered two-stage sample of students between 14 and 19 years old from public and private high schools from Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil, was investigated (n = 1.139). A self-administered food frequency questionnaire was used to obtain information on food intake. Nutritional status was classified according to the Body Mass Index (BMI = weight/height²) z-score. Socioeconomic status was inferred by the education level of head of household and by the presence of electrical appliances in the household. Dietary patterns were identified by applying exploratory factor analysis (extraction method: principal component analysis) and their relationship with socioeconomic conditions, lifestyle variables, and nutritional status was estimated by mutually adjusted multilinear regression models. "Western", "traditional" and "mixed" dietary patterns were identified. Studying in the morning hours and reporting the intake of alcoholic beverages were associated with greater adherence to the "Western" pattern. Male low-income students from public schools who have a BMI in the normal range preferred the "traditional" pattern. The "mixed" pattern was adopted by boys from public schools reporting physical activity. Several factors were associated with dietary patterns of adolescents and the Brazilian traditional diet was associated with normal weight.

Alcohol intake and renal cell cancer risk: a meta-analysis.

Background:An inverse association between alcoholic beverage intake and risk of renal cell cancer has been suggested in recent studies.Methods:We examined the association between alcoholic beverages and renal cell cancer risk in a meta-analysis. We identified relevant studies by searching the database of PubMed, EMBASE, and MEDLINE published through August 2011. We combined the study-specific relative risks (RRs) using a random-effects model.Results:A total of 20 case–control studies, 3 cohort studies, and 1 pooled analysis of cohort studies were included in the meta-analysis. We observed that alcoholic beverage intake was associated with a lower risk of renal cell cancer in combined analysis of case–control and cohort studies; for total alcoholic beverage intake, combined RRs (95% confidence intervals) comparing top with bottom categories were 0.76 (0.68–0.85) in case–control studies, and 0.71 (0.63–0.78) in cohort studies (P for difference by study design=0.02). The inverse associations were observed for both men and women and for each specific type alcoholic beverage (beer, wine, and liquor). Also, we found that one drink per day of alcoholic beverage conferred the reduction in renal cell cancer risk, but further drinking above that level did not add benefit.Conclusion:The findings from our meta-analysis support the hypothesis that alcoholic beverage intake is inversely associated with a lower risk of renal cell cancer, with moderate consumption conferring the protection and higher consumption conferring no additional benefits.

Effects of total and green vegetable intakes on glycated hemoglobin A1c and triglycerides in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: The Japanese Elderly Intervention Trial

Many reports have shown that vegetable intake is effective in inhibiting the onset and progression of diabetes mellitus, although the amount of vegetable intake required to be effective remains as unclear. The present study therefore aimed to clarify the relationship between the amount of vegetable intake and glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and other metabolic parameters using male Japanese type 2 diabetic patients aged 65 years or older as subjects. Participants were 417 male type 2 diabetic patients aged 65 years or older enrolled in the Japanese Elderly Diabetes Intervention Trial. Dietary intakes were measured by using the Food Frequency Questionnaires method. The patients were divided into five groups by their daily total vegetable intake (A1: ~100 g, A2: 100~150 g, A3: 150~200 g, A4: 200~300 g, A5: 300 g~), and compared HbA1c and other metabolic parameters. Furthermore, the relationship between daily green vegetable intake and HbA1c and other metabolic parameters were examined among five groups divided by quintile methods. There were significant decreases in HbA1c, triglycerides and waist circumference with an increase of total vegetable intake. A significant decrease of HbA1c levels was observed in patients with a daily total vegetable intake of 150 g or more. Furthermore, there was a significant decrease of serum triglyceride levels in patients with a total vegetable intake of 200 g or more. HbA1c levels showed a decreasing tendency with the increase of green vegetable intake, and HbA1c levels in the Q1 group (green vegetable intake: less than 40 g) was significantly higher than those in the other four groups (anovaP = 0.025). In addition, there were significant decreases of body mass index, triglyceride levels and waist circumference with the increase of green vegetable intake. Triglyceride levels decreased significantly from the Q3 group (green vegetable intake: 70 g or more) to the Q5 group (green vegetable intake: 130 g or more; anovaP = 0.016). In the group with a lower intake of total vegetables and green vegetables, the protein energy ratio decreased significantly. As a result, the fat energy ratio and energy intake tended to increase with the decrease of total and green vegetable intakes. Furthermore, intake of grains, sweets and alcoholic beverages increased with the decrease of total vegetable intake. In contrast, intake of nuts, potatoes, sugar, legumes, fruit, seaweed and fish increased with the increase of total vegetable intake Daily total vegetable intake of 200 g or more, and green vegetable intake of 70 g or more correlated with improved control of HbA1c and triglyceride levels in elderly type 2 diabetes patients through achieving a well-balanced diet.

Risk factors for gout: Gender differences

Objective: to comparatively assess risk factors for gout in male and female patients with this condition. Subjects and methods. The study enrolled 340 gouty patients (289 men and 51 women) examined in the period 2002 to 2009. The diagno sis corresponded to the criteria developed by S.L. Wallace. The mean age was 52.3±11.4 years for the women and 52.3±10.4 years for the men. The study group included female patients with gout and a comparison group comprised male patients with this condition. All the patients were interviewed using a questionnaire to identify risk factors for gout: the regular use of diuretics or alcoholic beverages before the onset of this disease, the presence of arterial hypertension (AH), and menopause in women. Results. The intake of diuretics before gout was reported by 57% of the women and 19.7% of the men (p < 0.00001). The drugs were given to all the men according to medical indications; 10 of 29 women took diuretics to lose weight. Alcohol was consumed more than twice week ly by 17.6% of the women and 33.6% of the men (p = 0.032). The median weekly alcohol consumption was 2 (range 1-4) conventional units (CU) in the women and 4 (range 2-10) CU in the men (p = 0.002). AH occurring the onset of gout was found in 30 (59%) women and 136 (47%) men (p = 0.13). Menopause developing prior to the onset of gout was noted in 26 (51%) women. Conclusion. Among possible causes of gout, the use of diuretics is more common in the women than in the men, moreover, the former take them unfairly in one third of cases. The women consume alcohol less frequently and in smaller quantities, but the rate of female intake of alcoholic beverages is associated with younger age at the onset of gout. In early menopause or amenorrhea, gout more frequently occurs at a young age. AH is a common risk factor for gout in both the women (59%) and the men (47%).

Alcohol and macronutrient intake patterns are related to general and central adiposity

Alcohol and dietary fat have high energy densities and may therefore be related to body weight and fat deposition. We studied associations between alcohol and macronutrient intake patterns and general and central adiposity. A population-based cross-sectional study of 524 men and 611 women. The participants answered a dietary questionnaire describing habitual food consumption including intake of alcoholic beverages. Macronutrient intake was analysed in relation to anthropometric measures and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry determined body fat. In women, total alcohol intake was negatively associated with body fat percentage (β:-0.67, P<0.01). In men, total alcohol intake was positively associated with sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD) (β: 0.28, P=0.01). In addition, positive associations were found between intake of alcohol from spirits and body fat percentage (β: 1.17, P<0.05), SAD (β: 0.52, P<0.05) and waist circumference (β: 2.29, P=0.01). In men, protein intake was positively associated with body mass index (BMI) (β: 0.03, P=0.001), body fat percentage (β: 0.04, P<0.05), SAD (β: 0.02, P=0.01) and waist circumference (β: 0.09, P<0.01). Also in men only, negative associations between fat intake and BMI (β: -0.03, P<0.01), SAD (β: -0.02, P<0.05) and waist circumference (β: -0.05, P<0.05) were found. Alcohol intake was inversely associated to relative body fat in women whereas spirits consumption was positively related to central and general obesity in men. Macronutrient intakes, particularly protein and fat, were differently associated with obesity indicators in men versus women. This may reflect a differential effect by gender, or differential obesity related reporting errors in men and women.