Search resultsOne-per-occasion or less: Are moderate-drinking postmenopausal women really healthier than their nondrinking and heavier-drinking peers?
Title
One-per-occasion or less: Are moderate-drinking postmenopausal women really healthier than their nondrinking and heavier-drinking peers?
Publication type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2008
Authors
Journal
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research
Volume
32
Issue
9
Pagination
1670 - 1680
Date published
2008
ISBN
01456008 (ISSN)
Keywords
Adult, Aged, alcohol, alcohol consumption, Alcohol Drinking, article, attitude to health, blood cell count, blood chemistry, blood pressure, blood pressure measurement, body height, body weight, bone density, Central Nervous System Depressants, diet, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, drinking behavior, eating habit, Ethanol, Exercise, Female, health, Health Behavior, health status, Health Surveys, human, Humans, Interviews as Topic, Lipids, major clinical study, Middle Aged, Moderate drinking, Postmenopausal, postmenopause, priority journal
Abstract
Background: While some reported benefits of moderate drinking are thought to be the direct results of physiological mechanisms associated with consumption, other effects may be attributable to mediating factors. Both explanations suggest that moderate drinkers may be healthier than nondrinking and heavier-drinking peers. The purpose of this study was to determine whether moderate-drinking postmenopausal women report healthier dietary and exercise patterns, and whether they demonstrate better physiological functioning compared with peers. This study also aimed to describe patterns of relationships between alcohol and measures of general health functioning in postmenopausal women. Methods: One-hundred and fifteen women aged 50 to 65 participated. Participants completed alcohol interviews, diet and exercise questionnaires, and bone density examination. Blood pressure, height, and weight were assessed, and blood was collected to conduct basic chemistry and complete blood count tests. Results: Postmenopausal moderate drinkers failed to demonstrate healthier dietary or exercise habits, and did not exhibit significantly better health-functioning compared with peers. They did evidence positive associations between drinking and healthy behavior, and between drinking and cardiovascular health. Relationships between alcohol and blood analytes differed between drinking groups, some of which suggested possible negative health consequences for higher-end drinkers in both drinking groups. Conclusions: These data suggested that moderate-drinking postmenopausal women are not significantly healthier than their non- or heavier-drinking peers, but may drink as part of a larger effort to take care of their health. Despite this, even 1-drink-per-drinking-day moderate drinkers may have tendencies toward unhealthy conditions. Limitations include small sample size, inability to assess specific cardiac risk and socioeconomic status, small number of correlations, and clinical relevance of analyte values. Copyright