TABLE 1.
Characteristics according to 4-year change in alcohol consumption in 1990 stratified by initial intake in 1986 (n = 33,073)*
| Initial alcohol consumption (g/day) | Change in alcohol consumption 4 years later (g/day) |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moderate to large decrease (≥7.5) | Small to moderate decrease (2.5–7.49) | No change/ relatively stable (±2.49) | Small to moderate increase (2.5–7.49) | Moderate to large increase (≥7.5) | |
| Number drinks/day (0) | |||||
| Number (% of total) of participants | — | — | 6,868 (20.8%) | 309 (0.9%) | 170 (0.5%) |
| Age (years) | — | — | 57.8 | 56.7 | 59.4 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | — | — | 25.6 | 25.5 | 25.7 |
| Weight gain from 1986 to 1990 (lb) | — | — | 1.2 | 1.6 | 3.0 |
| Alcohol consumption in 1986 (g/day) | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Alcohol consumption in 1990 (g/day) | — | — | 0.2 | 4.1 | 21.5 |
| Physical activity (METs/week) | — | — | 35.8 | 36.1 | 38.0 |
| Current smoker (%) | — | — | 3.4 | 3.7 | 5.0 |
| Family history of diabetes (%)† | — | — | 15.9 | 14.3 | 11.2 |
| Cardiovascular disease (%)‡ | — | — | 11.4 | 13.9 | 12.9 |
| Hypertension (%) | — | — | 25.6 | 26.3 | 25.3 |
| Hypercholesterolemia (%) | — | — | 28.4 | 35.9 | 29.2 |
| <1 drink/day (0.1–14.9) | |||||
| Number (% of total) of participants | 791 (2.4%) | 3,517 (10.6%) | 9,321 (28.2%) | 2,391 (7.2%) | 1,190 (3.6%) |
| Age (years) | 58.9 | 57.3 | 57.1 | 56.7 | 57.6 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 25.5 | 25.5 | 25.5 | 25.4 | 25.7 |
| Weight gain from 1986 to 1990 (lb) | −0.2 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.7 |
| Alcohol consumption in 1986 (g/day) | 12.1 | 8.3 | 4.9 | 6.7 | 8.0 |
| Alcohol consumption in 1990 (g/day) | 2.3 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 11.2 | 24.5 |
| Physical activity (METs/week) | 37.8 | 38.6 | 36.1 | 40.3 | 38.4 |
| Current smoker (%) | 5.6 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.4 | 5.4 |
| Family history of diabetes (%)† | 14.9 | 15.6 | 16.1 | 15.3 | 14.5 |
| Cardiovascular disease (%)‡ | 10.9 | 11.6 | 11.3 | 10.9 | 10.1 |
| Hypertension (%) | 27.0 | 24.0 | 23.6 | 24.2 | 27.0 |
| Hypercholesterolemia (%) | 32.3 | 30.9 | 30.7 | 31.2 | 33.2 |
| ≥1 drink/day (≥15.0 g/day) | |||||
| Number (% of total) of participants | 3,256 (9.8) | 1,498 (4.5) | 2,118 (6.4) | 665 (2.0) | 979 (3.0) |
| Age (years) | 58.7 | 57.7 | 58.8 | 57.7 | 58.4 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 25.7 | 25.4 | 25.4 | 25.2 | 25.6 |
| Weight gain from 1986 to 1990 (lb) | 1.1 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.9 |
| Alcohol consumption in 1986 (g/day) | 37.9 | 26.0 | 30.2 | 27.7 | 28.5 |
| Alcohol consumption in 1990 (g/day) | 16.4 | 21.2 | 30.1 | 32.2 | 49.2 |
| Physical activity (METs/week) | 39.5 | 40.2 | 38.1 | 39.8 | 39.7 |
| Current smoker (%) | 7.5 | 5.5 | 8.6 | 5.4 | 9.4 |
| Family history of diabetes (%)† | 13.4 | 15.4 | 13.7 | 12.2 | 13.5 |
| Cardiovascular disease (%)‡ | 11.4 | 10.9 | 10.3 | 9.5 | 8.8 |
| Hypertension (%) | 31.0 | 26.5 | 27.8 | 24.2 | 33.8 |
| Hypercholesterolemia (%) | 32.4 | 32.2 | 31.4 | 28.2 | 33.1 |
*Data are given as mean for continuous variables, except alcohol consumption (median) and percentage for categorical variables and are age-adjusted, except for age. BMI was calculated as the weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. MET, metabolic equivalent. Dash indicates data not available.
†History of diabetes with onset at age ≥30 years in immediate family.
‡Cardiovascular disease comprises stroke, myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass surgery, and angina pectoris.