P6234The relationship of alcohol consumption with risk factors of coronary heart disease and the intake of macro- and micro-nutrients in Japanese: the INTERLIPID study

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Background</jats:title> <jats:p>Many studies have reported the J-shaped relationship between alcohol consumption and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk; therefore, light-drinkers is generally recognized to be associated with the lower risk of CHD. However, the mechanisms of lower risk for CHD in light-drinkers are still unclear. Alcohol drinking status is likely to be associated with not only CHD risk factors but also dietary intake. Nevertheless, few studies report these relationships in detail.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Purpose</jats:title> <jats:p>The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationships of alcohol drinking status with CHD classical risk factors and the intake of macro- and micro- nutrients in Japanese.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Methods</jats:title> <jats:p>Study participants were 1,090 Japanese men and women aged 40–59 years from The INTERLIPID study excepted for 55 individuals who had missing data (n=26) and were past-drinkers (n=29). Alcohol consumption was assessed with two 7-day alcohol records, and average ethanol intake (per week) was calculated. Participants were classified into following 4 groups: non-drinkers (0g/week), light-drinkers (<100 g/week), moderate-drinkers (100–299 g/week), and heavy-drinkers (≥300 g/week). Serum LDL and HDL cholesterol, blood pressure (BP), the prevalence of hypertension and dyslipidemia, and smoking status were assessed as CHD risk factors. The intake of energy and macro- and micro-nutrients were evaluated from the four-timed in-depth 24-hr dietary recalls. Nutrient intake densities were calculated per total energy intake without alcohol. The analysis of variance and chi-squared test were used to evaluate the relations of alcohol status with CHD risk factors and nutrient intake.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Results</jats:title> <jats:p>Serum HDL cholesterol levels increased and LDL cholesterol levels decreased with increasing alcohol consumption. Systolic and diastolic BP increased with increasing alcohol consumption. J-shaped relationships with alcohol consumption were observed for the proportion of current smoker, number of cigarettes, and the prevalence of hypertension; that is, light-drinkers was lowest among all groups. The prevalence of dyslipidemia was the highest in non-drinkers, and decreased with increasing alcohol consumption. In heavy-drinkers, total energy (kcal/day) was the highest, but energy intake without alcohol (kcal/day) was the lowest. For macronutrients, the intake of carbohydrate (%kcal) decreased, and the intakes of total and animal protein (%kcal) increased with increasing alcohol consumption. The intakes of total cholesterol (mg/1000kcal) and sodium (mg/1000kcal) increased, and total fiber (g/1000kcal) decreased with increasing alcohol consumption. These associations were similar in men and women.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Conclusions</jats:title> <jats:p>Alcohol consumption was related with not only CHD classical risk factors but also the intake of macro- and micro-nutrients. Non-drinkers had a higher proportion of some CHD risk factors than light-drinkers. These results might influence on J-shaped relationship between alcohol consumption and CHD risk.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Acknowledgement/Funding</jats:title> <jats:p>1: Ministry of Education, Science, Sports, and Culture of Japan, 2: National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA</jats:p> </jats:sec>