Table 2.
Frequency distribution and description of characteristics at enrolment across categories of lifetime pattern of alcohol use among women participating in the EPIC study
| Formerb |
Lifetimec |
||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exclusive categories of pattern of alcohol use | TOTAL | Nevera | Former light to moderated | Former heavye | Lightf | Below rec. limitg | Light to moderated | Occasionally heavye | Heavye |
| Number | 26 8442 | 27 675 | 12 428 | 634 | 34 009 | 100 711 | 65 787 | 26 207 | 991 |
| Follow-up time (mean, (SD), years) | 13.0 (2.4) | 13.1 (2.7) | 13.0 (2.6) | 12.1 (3.1) | 13.0 (2.6) | 12.9 (2.4) | 13.0 (2.2) | 13.0 (2.3) | 12.7 (2.1) |
| Age (mean, (SD), years) | 51.6 (9.9) | 52.6 (9.5) | 54.5 (9.4) | 53.3 (8.4) | 51.6 (11.0) | 52.0 (9.6) | 50.6 (10.0) | 50.8 (9.5) | 43.8 (11.1) |
| BMI (mean, (SD)) | 25.0 (4.5) | 26.7 (5.4) | 26.8 (5.0) | 25.7 (4.9) | 25.1 (4.8) | 25.0 (4.4) | 24.4 (4.0) | 24.3 (4.0) | 24.2 (4.1) |
| Waist circumference (mean, (SD) cm) | 80.2 (11.5) | 85.7 (12.6) | 85.1 (12.2) | 83.6 (12.7) | 79.8 (11.8) | 79.9 (11.1) | 78.4 (10.5) | 78.8 (10.6) | 77.3 (10.6) |
| Fruit and vegetable intake (median, g/d) | 417.9 | 454.6 | 441.6 | 416.9 | 428.1 | 412.6 | 409.7 | 391.7 | 387.6 |
| Intake of red meat and meat products (median, g/d) | 65.6 | 64.0 | 62.2 | 66.6 | 57.5 | 66.2 | 67.5 | 69.4 | 63.3 |
| Fibre intake (mean, (SD), g/d) | 20.3 (3.7) | 19.3 (3.4) | 19.8 (3.8) | 20.3 (4.2) | 20.1 (3.7) | 20.5 (3.8) | 20.5 (3.7) | 20.2 (3.8) | 19.6 (3.4) |
| University degree (%) | 24.3 | 14.1 | 11.5 | 18.5 | 22.8 | 23.4 | 29.4 | 33.2 | 36.4 |
| High/very high physical activityh(%) | 49.8 | 62.1 | 64.1 | 56.3 | 49.5 | 49.4 | 46.2 | 41.1 | 47.0 |
| Smokers (%) | 16.6 | 12.4 | 15.9 | 39.6 | 11.7 | 15.2 | 18.5 | 27.3 | 38.3 |
| >20 years of smoking (%) | 20.2 | 11.1 | 19.4 | 47.4 | 12.9 | 18.9 | 23.8 | 34.4 | 32.5 |
| Prevalent diseasesi (%) | 23.3 | 28.3 | 32.1 | 32.3 | 23.4 | 23.1 | 20.5 | 21.6 | 16.0 |
| Pre-menopausal (%) | 33.9 | 34.1 | 27.0 | 26.0 | 35.1 | 32.6 | 36.1 | 33.9 | 60.4 |
| Nulliparous (%) | 18.6 | 12.6 | 14.1 | 22.4 | 18.7 | 16.7 | 21.8 | 24.7 | 42.8 |
| Hormone use (HRT) (%) | 25.1 | 16.0 | 19.6 | 27.4 | 22.4 | 26.7 | 27.1 | 29.8 | 16.0 |
| Alcohol at enrolment (median, g/d) | 4.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.7 | 4.3 | 14.2 | 33.3 | 45.2 |
| Alcohol at age 20 y (median, g/d) | 0.5 | 0 | 2.4 | 18.3 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 3.7 | 5.1 | 39.2 |
| Number of deaths | 14 673 | 1693 | 1136 | 65 | 1992 | 5123 | 3103 | 1522 | 39 |
| Age at death (mean (max.), years) | 68.6 (104.3) | 69.8 (98.2) | 71.0 (91.7) | 63.4 (84.0) | 70.5 (104.3) | 68.7 (100.5) | 66.9 (99.4) | 66.0 (91.0) | 60.9 (91.0) |
BMI, body mass index; HRT, hormone replacement therapy; MET, metabolic equivalent, rec., recommended.
a Report of no use of alcohol at all points in time (age 20, 30, 40, 50 and at recruitment).
b Report of alcohol use in the past but not at the time of enrolment.
c Report of use of alcohol at past points in time and at the time of recruitment.
d ≤30 g/d.
e >30 g/d.
f ≤1 g/d.
g ≤12 g/d; (American Heart Association; World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism).
h High physical activity based on METS of recreational and housekeeping activities (>82.43).
i Self-reported cancer, myocardial infarction, stroke, diabetes mellitus or hypertension.