Brief Article
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World J Gastroenterol. Aug 28, 2010; 16(32): 4055-4060
Published online Aug 28, 2010. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i32.4055
Relationship between alcohol intake and dietary pattern: Findings from NHANES III
Suthat Liangpunsakul
Suthat Liangpunsakul, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Clarian Health Digestive Disease Center and Roudebush Veterans Administration Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5124, United States
Author contributions: Liangpunsakul S conducted data analyses and wrote the manuscript.
Supported by Veterans Administration Young Investigator Award/Indiana Institute for Medical Research (to Liangpunsakul S), K08 AA016570 (to Liangpunsakul S) from the NIH/NIAAA and Central Society for Clinical Research Career Development Award (to Liangpunsakul S)
Correspondence to: Suthat Liangpunsakul, MD, MPH, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Clarian Health Digestive Disease Center and Roudebush Veterans Administration Medical Center, 550 N. University Blvd, UH 4100, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5124, United States. sliangpu@iupui.edu
Telephone: +1-317-9884126 Fax: +1-317-9883180
Received: March 20, 2010
Revised: April 13, 2010
Accepted: April 20, 2010
Published online: August 28, 2010
Abstract

AIM: To examine the association between macronutrient dietary patterns and alcohol consumption using the Third National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey III.

METHODS: A total of 9877 subjects (5144 males) constituted the study cohort. Dietary interviews were conducted with all examinees by a trained dietary interviewer in a mobile examination center (MEC). Subjects reported all foods and beverages consumed except plain drinking water for the previous 24-h time period. Physical examination and history of alcohol consumption were obtained. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to evaluate the association of the levels of alcohol consumption and the percentage of energy derived from macronutrients. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed accounting for the study sampling weight to further explore the relationships between alcohol consumption and calories derived from each macronutrient.

RESULTS: Subjects who drank were younger than non-drinker controls in both genders (P < 0.01). Alcohol intake was inversely associated with body mass index and body weight in women. Of all macronutrients, carbohydrate intake was the first to decrease with increasing alcohol consumption. In the multivariate analyses, the level of alcohol consumption was found to be an independent predictor associated with lower intake of other macronutrients.

CONCLUSION: Our results show that there is an alteration in the daily dietary pattern with increasing alcohol consumption and that energy derived from alcoholic beverages substitutes that from other macronutrients such as carbohydrate, protein, and fat.

Keywords: Alcohol; Macronutrients; National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey III