Specific Beverages Research Articles

Do Alcohol Consumption Patterns of Adolescents Differ by Beverage Type?

ABSTRACT The overall purpose of this study was to explore the alcohol consumption patterns of adolescents by beverage type. A total of 705 primarily 9th grade students were recruited to participate in this study in the spring of 2002. Alcoholic beverage use differed significantly across gender and ethnicity on a number of beverage-specific drinking measures, including initiation, quantity and frequency, binge drinking, chugging, and alcohol problems (p's<.05). Stepwise discriminant analyses indicated that drug use and social beliefs were notably important in discriminating adolescent drinkers from non-drinkers of specific alcoholic beverages. This study's results indicate the need for testing interventions tailored to alcohol consumption patterns including beverage type.

Editorial Comment—Alcohol and Stroke

According to the seventh edition of Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary , the definition of labyrinth is “something extremely tortuous or complex in structure, arrangement, or character.” The investigator who studies the relations of alcohol drinking to stroke chooses a tortuous path. Multiple issues need consideration. (1) Stroke is not one disease. There are disparities in risk factors of the major stroke types, hemorrhagic stroke (HS), and ischemic stroke (IS), and of their subdivisions.1–5 (2) Several cardiovascular conditions have independent relations to alcohol drinking and also to ≥1 stroke types; these include systemic hypertension (HTN), dilated cardiomyopathy, atrial arrhythmias, and coronary heart disease.6,7 (3) As always with respect to alcohol, light-moderate and heavy drinking play quite different roles. (4) Cigarette smoking, a strong adverse predictor of HS and IS, is correlated with alcohol drinking and must be carefully controlled. (5) Drinking pattern and beverage choice play a role; binge drinking, in particular, increases risk.1 (6) Drinking habits change. (7) Nonalcohol components of specific beverages might play a role. (8) There are potential interactions of alcohol with antithrombotic …

Changes in beverage intake between 1977 and 2001

To examine American beverage consumption trends and causes. Nationally representative data from the 1977-1978 Nationwide Food Consumption Survey, the 1989-1991 and 1994-1996 (also for children aged 2 to 9 years in 1998) Continuing Surveys of Food Intake by Individuals (CSFII), and 1999-2001 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used in this study. The sample consisted of 73,345 individuals, aged >or=2 years. For each survey year, the percentage of total energy intake from meals and snacks was calculated separately for respondents aged 2 to 18 years, 19 to 39, 40 to 59, and >or=60. The percentage of energy intake by location (at home consumption or preparation, vending, store eaten out, restaurant/fast food, and school), as well as for specific beverages was computed separately for all age groups. The proportion consumed, mean portion size, and number of servings were calculated. For all age groups, sweetened beverage consumption increased and milk consumption decreased. Overall, energy intake from sweetened beverages increased 135% and was reduced by 38% from milk, with a 278 total calorie increase. These trends were associated with increased proportions of Americans consuming larger portions, more servings per day of sweetened beverage, and reductions in these same measures for milk. There is little research that has focused on the beneficial impacts of reduced soft drink and fruit drink intake. This would seem to be one of the simpler ways to reduce obesity in the United States.

Alcohol intake and colorectal cancer: a pooled analysis of 8 cohort studies.

Epidemiologic studies have generally reported positive associations between alcohol consumption and risk for colorectal cancer. However, findings related to specific alcoholic beverages or different anatomic sites in the large bowel have been inconsistent. To examine the relationship of total alcohol intake and intake from specific beverages to the incidence of colorectal cancer and to evaluate whether other potential risk factors modify the association. Pooled analysis of primary data from 8 cohort studies in 5 countries. North America and Europe. 489,979 women and men with no history of cancer other than nonmelanoma skin cancer at baseline. Alcohol intake was assessed in each study at baseline by using a validated food-frequency questionnaire. During a maximum of 6 to 16 years of follow-up across the studies, 4687 cases of colorectal cancer were documented. In categorical analyses, increased risk for colorectal cancer was limited to persons with an alcohol intake of 30 g/d or greater (approximately > or =2 drinks/d), a consumption level reported by 4% of women and 13% of men. Compared with nondrinkers, the pooled multivariate relative risks were 1.16 (95% CI, 0.99 to 1.36) for persons who consumed 30 to less than 45 g/d and 1.41 (CI, 1.16 to 1.72) for those who consumed 45 g/d or greater. No significant heterogeneity by study or sex was observed. The association was evident for cancer of the proximal colon, distal colon, and rectum. No clear difference in relative risks was found among specific alcoholic beverages. The study included only one measure of alcohol consumption at baseline and could not investigate lifetime alcohol consumption, alcohol consumption at younger ages, or changes in alcohol consumption during follow-up. It also could not examine drinking patterns or duration of alcohol use. A single determination of alcohol intake correlated with a modest relative elevation in colorectal cancer rate, mainly at the highest levels of alcohol intake.

Non‐linear models for the relation between cardiovascular risk factors and intake of wine, beer and spirits

It is generally accepted that moderate consumption of alcohol is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). It is not clear however whether this benefit is derived through the consumption of a specific beverage type, for example, wine. In this paper the associations between known CHD risk factors and different beverage types are investigated using a novel approach with non-linear modelling. Two types of model are proposed which are designed to detect differential effects of beverage type. These may be viewed as extensions of Box and Tidwell's power-linear model. The risk factors high density lipoprotein cholesterol, fibrinogen and systolic blood pressure are considered using data from a large longitudinal study of British civil servants (Whitehall II). The results for males suggest that gram for gram of alcohol, the effect of wine differs from that of beer and spirits, particularly for systolic blood pressure. In particular increasing wine consumption is associated with slightly more favourable levels of all three risk factors studied. For females there is evidence of a differential relationship only for systolic blood pressure. These findings are tentative but suggest that further research is required to clarify the similarities and differences between the results for males and females and to establish whether either of the models is the more appropriate. However, having clarified these issues, the apparent benefit of consuming wine instead of other alcoholic beverages may be relatively small.

Beverage Choices of Young Females: Changes and Impact on Nutrient Intakes

Objective To examine trends in beverage consumption and evaluate the impact of beverage choices on the nutrient intakes of females ages 12 to 19 years. Design Dietary intake data from the USDA's Nationwide Food Consumption Surveys, including the Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (CSFII), were assessed for trends in beverage consumption. The CSFII 1994-1996 data was used to examine the diets of young females grouped based on their milk and soda consumption status. Mean energy, nutrient, and beverage intakes were compared. Subjects Females with complete dietary intake information on Day 1 of the survey were included in the study. There were 732 females ages 12 to 19 years in the CSFII 1994-1996. Statistical Analysis Percentages of females consuming specific beverages were estimated. Pairwise mean comparisons were made between groups based on milk and soda consumption status. Results Milk intakes decreased by 36% whereas that of sodas and fruit drinks almost doubled from the late 1970s to the mid 1990s. The CSFII 1994-1996 data showed that between ages 12 and 19 years, intakes of fruit juices, soda, tea, fruit drinks, and alcoholic beverages either increased or remained relatively steady, while milk intakes decreased with an increase in age. At age 12 years, 78% drank milk and had the lowest soda intake (276 g), while at age 19-years, only 36% drank milk and drank a high amount of soda (423 g). Those who did not drink milk had inadequate intakes of vitamin A, folate, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. Application A rapid decrease in milk intake during the early adolescent years indicates a need for interventions at this age. Dietitians should identify barriers to drinking milk and recommend strategies for including appropriate food sources to increase calcium intakes during growing years. Nutrition educators should provide parents of adolescent children with ideas for ensuring the adequacy of their children's calcium intakes. J Am Diet Assoc. 2002; 102: 1234–1239.

Prospective study of moderate alcohol consumption and risk of hypertension in young women.

Heavy alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of hypertension. However, the effect of moderate alcohol consumption; the specific effects of wine, beer, and liquor; and the pattern of drinking in relation to risk of hypertension among young women are unclear. We prospectively examined the association between alcohol consumption and subsequent risk of hypertension among 70 891 women 25 to 42 years of age. During the 8 years of follow-up, 4188 cases (5.9%) of incident hypertension were reported. After adjustment for multiple covariates, the association between alcohol consumption and risk of hypertension followed a J-shaped curve. Compared with nondrinkers, the risk of developing hypertension according to average number of drinks consumed per day was as follows: 0.25 or less, 0.96 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.89-1.03); 0.26 to 0.50, 0.86 (95% CI, 0.75-0.98); 0.51 to 1.00, 0.92 (95% CI, 0.82-1.04); 1.01 to 1.50, 1.00 (95% CI, 0.80-1.24); 1.51 to 2.00, 1.20 (95% CI, 0.92-1.58); and more than 2.0 drinks, 1.31 (95% CI, 1.02-1.68). Exclusion of past drinkers yielded similar results. Among women in the highest category of alcohol consumption, there was a suggestion that the increased risk of hypertension was present regardless of the specific beverage consumed (beer, wine, or liquor). Episodic drinking, defined as consumption of more than 10.5 drinks over 3 or fewer days per week, was not associated with increased risk of hypertension (relative risk, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.51-1.23). The association between alcohol consumption and risk of chronic hypertension in young women follows a J-shaped curve, with light drinkers demonstrating a modest decrease in risk and more regular heavy drinkers demonstrating an increase in risk.

State Advertising Bans, Monopoly, and Alcohol Demand: Testing for Substitution Effects Using Panel Data

Using a panel of 45 states for the period 1982-97, this study analyzes the importance of several restrictive alcohol regulations, including advertising bans for billboards, bans of price advertising, state monopoly control of retail stores, and changes in the minimum legal drinking age. In contrast to previous research, the study allows for substitution among beverages as a response to a regulation that targets a specific beverage. A restrictive law that applies only to one beverage (or one form of advertising) can result in substitution toward other beverages (and other media). Allowing for substitution means that the net effect on total alcohol consumption is unceertain, and must be ascertained empirically. The empirical results demonstrate that monopoly control of spirits reduces consumption of that beverage, and increases consumption of wine. The effect on beer is positive, but is not statistically significant. The net effect on total alcohol is signifcantly negative. Higher minimum legal drinking age laws have negative effects on beverage and total alcohol consumption. Partial bans of advertising do not reduce total alcohol consumption, which reflects in part substitution effects.

State Advertising Bans, Monopoly, and Alcohol Demand: Testing for Substitution Effects Using Panel Data

Using a panel of 45 states for the period 1982-97, this study analyzes the importance of several restrictive alcohol regulations, including advertising bans for billboards, bans of price advertising, state monopoly control of retail stores, and changes in the minimum legal drinking age. In contrast to previous research, the study allows for substitution among beverages as a response to a regulation that targets a specific beverage. A restrictive law that applies only to one beverage (or one form of advertising) can result in substitution toward other beverages (and other media). Allowing for substitution means that the net effect on total alcohol consumption is unceertain, and must be ascertained empirically. The empirical results demonstrate that monopoly control of spirits reduces consumption of that beverage, and increases consumption of wine. The effect on beer is positive, but is not statistically significant. The net effect on total alcohol is signifcantly negative. Higher minimum legal drinking age laws have negative effects on beverage and total alcohol consumption. Partial bans of advertising do not reduce total alcohol consumption, which reflects in part substitution effects.

Effect of beer drinking on risk of myocardial infarction: population based case-control study

Many studies have shown an inverse association between alcohol consumption and coronary heart disease, with a possible flattening at higher consumption levels.1 It remains unclear, however, whether the protective effect...

Beverages, diet, and prevention of kidney stones.

Beverages, diet, and prevention of kidney stones.

Association between alcohol and lung cancer in the alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene cancer prevention study in Finland.

We evaluated the association between alcohol intake and lung cancer in a trial-based cohort in Finland, the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study (ATBC Study). During an average of 7.7 years of follow-up, 1059 lung cancer cases were diagnosed among the 27,111 male smokers with complete alcohol and dietary information. The relationship between alcohol and lung cancer was assessed in multivariate Cox regression models that adjusted for age, smoking, body mass index and intervention group. Nondrinkers, 11% of the study population, were at increased lung cancer risk compared to drinkers (RR = 1.2, 95% CI: 1.0-1.4), possibly due to the inclusion of ex-drinkers who had stopped drinking for health reasons. Among drinkers only, we observed no association between lung cancer and total ethanol or specific beverage (beer, wine, spirits) intake. We found no significant effect modification by level of smoking, dietary micronutrients or trial intervention group; however, for men in the highest quartile of alcohol intake, we observed a slight increase in risk for lighter smokers (<1 pack/day) and reduced risk among the heaviest smokers (>30 cigarettes/day). We concluded that alcohol consumption was not a risk factor for lung cancer among male cigarette smokers, and its effect was not significantly modified by other factors, notably smoking history.

Genes and Environment Have Gender-Independent Influences on the Eating and Drinking of Free-Living Humans

de CASTRO, J. M. Genes and environment have gender-independent influences on the eating and drinking of free-living humans. PHYSIOL BEHAV 63(3) 385–395, 1998.—Males and females differ in the amounts of food and fluids they ingest. Previous studies suggest that this may be due to differences in genetic influences on intake. Gender differences in the heritability of food and fluid intake were investigated with 110 identical and 102 fraternal same-sex and 53 fraternal mixed-gender adult twin pairs who were paid to maintain 7-day food intake diaries. Linear structural modeling revealed significant genetic influences on the overall and meal intakes of foods and fluids and specific beverage and food types. No gender differences were found in the genes that influence intake or, for the most part, in the magnitude of the genetic influences on intake. However, gender differences were found for the between-meal intakes of fluids, being influenced by heredity for males but by common, familial, environment for females. The data suggest that intakes are equivalently influenced by inheritance and individual environment for both males and females and that most gender differences are due to a simple multiplicative difference between intakes possibly due to body size and/or caloric expenditure differences.

Alcohol and Heart Disease

Any advice about the consumption of alcohol must take into account not only the complex relation between alcohol and cardiovascular disease but also the well-known association of heavy consumption of alcohol with a large number of health risks.1 One approach would be to recommend no consumption of alcohol. However, a large number of recent observational studies have consistently demonstrated a reduction in coronary heart disease (CHD) with moderate consumption of alcohol.2 3 Any prohibition of alcohol would then deny such persons a potentially sizable health benefit. This advisory examines the complex relation between alcohol and coronary heart disease and offers recommendations for the responsible use of alcohol. Many beverages contain alcohol in varying amounts, necessitating standardization of the quantity of alcohol contained in various drinks. In general, the amount of absolute alcohol in grams is determined by the number of beverages consumed per day times the amount of alcohol in each beverage. In general, a 12-ounce bottle of beer, a 4-ounce glass of wine, and a 1 1/2-ounce shot of 80-proof spirits all contain the same amount of alcohol (one half ounce). Each of these is considered a “drink equivalent.”4 Recent studies have tried to determine whether specific beverages have unique protective or deleterious effects. The interpretation of this research is complex because one person often consumes several types of beverages. A large number of observational studies have consistently demonstrated a J-shaped relation between alcohol consumption and total mortality .5 This relation appears to hold in men and women who are middle aged or older.6 7 8 9 The lowest mortality occurs in those who consume one or two drinks per day.10 In teetotalers or occasional drinkers, the rates are higher than in those consuming one or two drinks per day. In persons …

Avoidance Responses to Alternative Alcohol Warning Labels1

A preference‐based measure of responses to warning labels was used to study alternative alcohol warning labels that differed in: (a) length, (b) presence of qualifier words, (c) alternative content, and (d) specific beverage. The specific risks mentioned were more important than the overall label length, qualifier words reduced avoidance responses, various alternative warnings elicited more avoidance responses than the existing alcohol warning label, and more avoidance responses were made to labels on a whiskey bottle than on a beer bottle. Warnings with the words “poison,”“cancer,” or “health problems” were the most powerful. The results for college students in Study 1 were replicated in a high‐school sample in Study 2.

The structure of attitudes toward alcohol: Specific beverages differ from generic alcohol.

The structure of attitudes toward alcohol: Specific beverages differ from generic alcohol.

The structure of attitudes toward alcohol: Specific beverages differ from generic alcohol.

The structure of attitudes toward alcohol: Specific beverages differ from generic alcohol.

Drinking water, fluid intake, and bladder cancer in western New York.

Fluid intake and consumption of specific beverages were investigated in a study of 351 white male cases for whom transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder had been confirmed histologically during the time period from 1979 to 1985. A total of 855 white male controls was selected from Erie, Niagara, and Monroe counties of western New York state. Total fluid consumption was composed of alcoholic beverages, bottled beverages, soda, milk, coffee, tea, all juices, and glasses of tap water. Tap water included coffee, tea, juices, and glasses of water taken directly from the tap. Total fluid consumption was found to be a strong risk factor for bladder cancer when a number of potential confounding risk factors were controlled for. Risks were higher among those who were less than 65 y of age (odds ratio [OR] = 6.3, 95% C.I. = 2.8-14.0). The OR was 3.4 (95% C.I. = 1.8-6.2) for the highest quartile of fluid consumption among those 65 y of age and older. The tap water component was associated with increased risk in both age categories, and there was a clear dose-response relationship. Risks associated with tap water consumption were higher among those who never smoked cigarettes. Both biological and nonbiological explanations for these results are evaluated. The findings suggest implications for public health, but the limitations of the present investigation preclude definitive conclusions and stress the urgency for replication.

Alcoholic beverage choice and risk of coronary artery disease mortality: Do red wine drinkers fare best?

Several population studies have described a lower coronary artery disease (CAD) mortality risk in alcohol drinkers (vs abstainers). 1–3 Those studies showed no consensus that any specific beverage type (wine, liquor or beer) is likely to be more protective than are the others. 3 The importance of allowing for other traits and habits related to wine, liquor or beer use when studying beverage choice is now clear. 4 Recent media attention (e.g., “60 Minutes,” CBS Television Network, 7:00 p.m., November 17, 1991) concerning the “French paradox” (lower CAD incidence in France than in the United States) has focused on the possible benefits of red wine in particular. Isolated reports suggest a possible role of tannins 5 or phenolic compounds 6 in red wine. In this report, we present data from a large prospective population study that are pertinent to the possible role of preference for wine, liquor or beer in CAD mortality risk.

Genetic analysis of drinking behavior in World War II veteran twins.

The objective of the present study was to investigate longitudinal changes in drinking behaviors of adult male twins and model these changes as a function of genetic and environmental influences. Alcohol data available for World War II veteran twins, first surveyed in 1967-69 and followed up during 1983-85, were used to examine components of variability in measures of alcohol consumption. Multivariate biometric analysis of these data indicated 1) longitudinal stability of drinking behaviors in this cohort, 2) a significant contribution of genetic factors to the observed stability that accounted for more than 80% of the stable variation in frequency and in quantity of alcohol consumed per drinking occasion, and 3) evidence for a significant contribution of shared environmental influences to drinking of specific beverages (e.g., wine). The implications of these results for issues of health in the elderly are considered.