Author(s)

Ulla Toft, Charlotta Pisinger, Mette Aadahl, Allan Linneberg, Cathrine Lau, Torben Jørgensen

Research Centre for Prevention and Health, Glostrup, Denmark.
Steno Diabetes Center, Gentofte, Denmark.

Objective: To investigate whether sustained long-term changes in alcohol intake are predictive of cardiovascular risk. Methods: The study population was a subpopulation of the five-year intervention study, Inter99 study, (1999-2006), Copenhagen, Denmark (n = 2117; 30 - 60 years). Alcohol intake was assessed by questionnaires at baseline, one-, three- and five-year follow-up. The associations between sustained long-term changes in alcohol intake and cardiovascular risk factors (HDL and non-HDL cholesterol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP); the absolute risk of ischemic heart disease (CRS)) at five-year follow-up were explored by linear regression models. The alcohol variables were tested for linear association with the response variable. Results: Sustained increased alcohol intake was significantly associated with increased CRS (β = 0.0028; P = 0.006) and a decreased HDL cholesterol (β = -0.0028; P = 0.005). Among participants with a moderate overall alcohol in-take at baseline increased alcohol intake was significantly associated with an increased plasma triglyceride (β = 0.0069; P = 0.04). No association with triglyceride was found for participants with a high alcohol intake. Change in wine intake was significantly negatively associated with changes in diastolic BP (β = 0.0015; P = 0.02). Conclusions: Sustained increase in the long-term intake of alcohol was a significant risk factor for an increased CRS, increased triglyceride level and decreased HDL cholesterol. Increased wine intake was associated with decreased diastolic BP.

Alcohol Consumption; Cardiovascular Disease; Intervention Studies

Toft, U. , Pisinger, C. , Aadahl, M. , Linneberg, A. , Lau, C. and Jørgensen, T. (2012) The effect of sustained, long-term changes in alcohol intake on cardiovascular risk. Open Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2, 444-451. doi: 10.4236/ojpm.2012.24063.