Alcohol Consumption Predicts Hypertension but Not Diabetes.

ALCOHOLISM; TYPE 2 diabetes; HYPERTENSION; BLOOD pressure; PEOPLE with alcoholism

Objective: This study examines the associations between alcohol consumption, Type 2 diabetes and hypertension in a native American population. Method: Data were collected in a population- based cross-sectional and prospective study conducted on 3,789 individuals aged ≥20 years. Reported alcohol consumption was classified as never, occasional or <1 a thy, 1-2 drinks a day, ≥3 drinks a day, and occasional heavy drinking. The prevalence and incidence of diabetes and hypertension by categories of alcohol intake were determined. Results: About 68% of men and 39% of women reported some degree of alcohol consumption. There was no association between alcohol consumption and prevalence or incidence of diabetes, but a positive, statistically significant association between blood pressure and alcohol consumption was found in both genders. After adjustment for age, body mass index (BMI) and diabetes in a proportional hazards model in men, moderate drinkers (occasional or <1 drink a day and 1-2 drinks a day combined) had 1.24 (95% confidence interval: 0.98-1.57) and occasional heavy drinkers had 1.49 (1.02-2.17) times the incidence of hypertension as nondrinkers. The corresponding estimates of hypertension incidence for women were 1.53 (1.29-1.83) for moderate drinking and 1.38 (0.8 1-2.36) for occasional heavy drinking. As only 1% of participants reported ≥3 drinks a thy, this group was excluded from these analyses. Conclusions: Alcohol consumption did not affect the development of Type 2 diabetes, but it was associated with increased risk of hypertension, and this effect was independent of diabetes or BMI in both genders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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