Alcohol and Alcoholism Advance Access originally published online on November 22, 2006
Alcohol and Alcoholism 2007 42(1):49-54; doi:10.1093/alcalc/agl093
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ALCOHOL INTAKE AND INCIDENCE OF CORONARY DISEASE IN AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINES
1 University of Western Australia, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, Royal Perth Hospital Unit Pilbara Region, Western Australia
2 School of Public Health, Curtin University of Technology Pilbara Region, Western Australia
3 School of Population Health, University of Queensland Pilbara Region, Western Australia
4 Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service Pilbara Region, Western Australia
5 Miln Walker and Associates Pty Ltd PO Box 167, Belair, South Australia
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed at: School of Medicine and Pharmacology, Royal Perth Hospital Unit, Box X2213 GPO, Perth 6847, Australia. Tel.: +61 8 9224 0276; Fax: +61 8 9224 0246; E-mail: vburke{at}cyllene.uwa.edu.au
Received 5 October 2006; first review notified 8 October 2006; first review notified 25 October 2006; accepted 28 October 2006
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Abstract |
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Aims: To examine risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in relation to alcohol in a cohort of Australian Aborigines. Methods: In 1988–1989, alcohol intake, drinking pattern, and beverage preference were elicited by interviewer-administered questionnaire in Western Australian Aborigines (258 men and 256 women) and cardiovascular outcomes ascertained through linkage to mortality and hospital admission records to 2002. Results: In proportional hazards models, risk for CHD, relative to lifetime abstainers, was significantly increased in ex-drinkers [Hazard ratio (HR), 2.29; 95% confidence intervals (CI), 1.23–4.27], those drinking 41–60 g/day in men or 21–40 g/day in women (HR 2.80; 95% CI, 1.04–7.53) and those drinking >150 g/day for men or >100 g/day for women (HR, 2.25; 95% CI, 1.03–4.90) with a J-shaped relationship. Low-to-moderate drinkers had lower waist girth, exercised more and had a lower prevalence of overweight and smoking than at-risk drinkers. A preference for wine was associated with lower HR (0.28; 95% CI, 0.10–0.95). With CVD, only ex-drinkers showed significantly increased risk (HR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.20–2.91). Conclusions: More favourable health-related behaviours in low-to-moderate drinkers suggest that lower risk could be mediated by lifestyle, as proposed in other populations.