Search resultsAlcohol and survival in the Italian rural cohorts of the seven countries study
Title
Alcohol and survival in the Italian rural cohorts of the seven countries study
Publication type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2000
Authors
Journal
International Journal of Epidemiology
Volume
29
Issue
4
Pagination
667 - 671
Date published
2000
ISBN
03005771 (ISSN)
Keywords
Adult, Aged, alcohol, alcohol consumption, Alcohol Drinking, anthropometry, article, blood pressure, Cholesterol, cholesterol blood level, cohort analysis, Cohort study, controlled study, drinking behavior, Electrocardiography, Exercise, Follow-Up Studies, food intake, human, Humans, Italy, life expectancy, major clinical study, male, men, Middle Aged, mortality, nonlinear system, physical activity, Physical Examination, priority journal, Proportional Hazards Models, questionnaire, rural population, smoking, smoking habit, survival, Survival Analysis, water, wine
Abstract
Background. Middle-aged men who regularly drink a moderate amount of alcohol have lower mortality rates from all causes in comparison with abstainers and heavy drinkers. This cohort study looks at the relationship between alcohol consumption and long-term survival, adjusting for smoking habit and physical activity. Methods. In 1965, a total of 1536 Italian males aged 45-65 years underwent an examination which included: a general questionnaire, anthropometric measurements, an overall physical examination, ECG recording, blood pressure and serum cholesterol measurements and measurement of food consumption including alcohol. The cohort was followed for total mortality from 1965 to 1995. Results. During a period of 30 years 1096 deaths occurred. Age-adjusted life expectancy for men assuming a mean daily quantity of 63 g of alcohol (range 4-7 drinks per day) was 21.6 ± 0.4 years, roughly 2 years more than men taking a mean quantity of 3.7 g (≤1 drink) and men consuming >10 drinks per day. Taking smoking habit into account, the longest survival of 22.4 ± 0.5 years was observed in non-smokers drinking 4-7 drinks daily; the lowest, 18.5 ± 0.7 years, in smokers drinking > 10 drinks. Stratifying for physical activity, the longest survival (23.4 ± 0.7 years) was experienced by men engaged in heavy physical activity at work drinking 1-4 drinks per day. Conclusions. The relationship between life expectancy and alcohol consumption (97% wine in this Italian cohort and mostly red wine) is confirmed to be non-linear. Men aged 45-64 at entry drinking about 5 drinks per day have a longer life expectancy than occasional and heavy drinkers.