Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of the Korean elderly according to alcohol intake status
| Total (N=6163) |
Non-drinker (N=4082) |
Drinker (N=2081) |
p Value* | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Variable | Classification | n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | |
| Age at enrolment | Mean (SD), years | 66.6 (7.9) | 67.1 (8.3) | 65.8 (7.0) | <0.001† |
| Gender | Women | 3528 (57.2) | 3165 (77.5) | 363 (17.4) | <0.001 |
| Men | 2635 (42.8) | 917 (22.5) | 1718 (82.6) | ||
| Smoking | Current smoker | 2748 (44.6) | 1182 (29.0) | 1566 (75.3) | <0.001 |
| Past smoker | 267 (4.3) | 144 (3.5) | 123 (5.9) | ||
| Never smoker | 3148 (51.1) | 2756 (67.5) | 392 (18.8) | ||
| Body mass index, kg/m2 | <18.5 | 556 (9.0) | 377 (9.2) | 179 (8.6) | <0.001 |
| 18.5–24.9 | 4563 (74.0) | 2908 (71.2) | 1655 (79.5) | ||
| ≥25.0 | 1044 (16.9) | 797 (19.5) | 247 (11.9) | ||
| Hypertension‡ | No | 2505 (40.6) | 1708 (41.8) | 797 (38.3) | 0.007 |
| Yes | 3658 (59.4) | 2374 (58.2) | 1284 (61.7) | ||
| Self-rated health | Good or fair | 4692 (76.1) | 3039 (74.4) | 1653 (79.4) | <0.001 |
| Poor | 1471 (23.9) | 1043 (25.6) | 428 (20.6) | ||
| Marital status | Living with a spouse | 4043 (65.6) | 2357 (57.7) | 1686 (81.0) | <0.001 |
| Not living with a spouse | 2120 (34.4) | 1725 (42.3) | 395 (19.0) | ||
| Education | Ever | 2255 (36.6) | 1167 (28.6) | 1088 (52.3) | <0.001 |
| Never§ | 3908 (63.4) | 2915 (71.4) | 993 (47.7) | ||
| Occupation | Non-agriculture | 1079 (17.5) | 737 (18.1) | 342 (16.4) | 0.113 |
| Agriculture | 5084 (82.5) | 3345 (81.9) | 1739 (83.6) | ||
| Alcohol intake status | Non-drinker | 4082 (66.2) | 4082 (100.0) | 0 (0.0) | <0.001 |
| Drinker | 2081 (33.8) | 0 (0.0) | 2081 (100.0) | ||
| Alcohol intake frequency | Non-drinker | 4082 (66.2) | 4082 (100.0) | 0 (0.0) | <0.001 |
| 4 or fewer days a month | 607 (9.8) | 0 (0.0) | 607 (29.2) | ||
| 2–6 days a week | 1009 (16.4) | 0 (0.0) | 1009 (48.5) | ||
| Daily | 465 (7.5) | 0 (0.0) | 465 (22.3) | ||
| Alcohol intake amount, g alcohol/drinking day (drink/drinking day)¶ | Non-drinker | 4082 (66.2) | 4082 (100.0) | 0 (0.0) | <0.001 |
| Below 70 g (5 drinks) | 1037 (16.8) | 0 (0.0) | 1037 (49.8) | ||
| 70–139 g (5–9 drinks) | 732 (11.9) | 0 (0.0) | 732 (35.2) | ||
| 140 g or over (≥10 drinks) | 312 (5.1) | 0 (0.0) | 312 (15.0) | ||
| Alcohol intake amount, g alcohol/week (drink/week)¶ | Non-drinker | 4082 (66.2) | 4082 (100.0) | 0 (0.0) | <0.001 |
| Below 70 g (5 drinks) | 729 (11.8) | 0 (0.0) | 729 (35.0) | ||
| 70–209 g (5–14 drinks) | 449 (7.3) | 0 (0.0) | 449 (21.6) | ||
| 210–419 g (15–29 drinks) | 328 (5.3) | 0 (0.0) | 328 (15.8) | ||
| 420 g or over (≥30 drinks) | 575 (9.3) | 0 (0.0) | 575 (27.6) |
*χ2 analysis.
†One-way analysis of variance.
‡Measured blood pressure ≥140/90 mm Hg or on regular medication.
§No formal education, not even elementary school.
¶1 standard drink considered to be approximately 14 g according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the USA.
BMI, body mass index.