Alcohol consumption for different periods in life, intake pattern over time and all-cause mortality

• Background: Conventionally, cohort studies have assessed the association between alcohol and all-cause mortality by using alcohol intake at enrolment.Methods: In theMelbourne Collaborative Cohort Study, participants were asked about usual frequency and quantity of beverage-specific alcoholintake for 10-year periods starting at age 20 from which current, past and lifetime intakes were calculated.We used Cox regression to estimate hazardratios for mortality for 39 577 participants of theMelbourne Collaborative Cohort Study aged 40–69 at baseline.Results: After a mean follow-up of 15 years/person, we identified 4639 deaths. Associations between all-cause mortality and lifetime, current(baseline) and past intakewere J shaped, with lower mortality at low intake (e.g. ,40 g/day for men and 10 g/day for women using lifetime intake)and elevated mortality at higher intake. Formen, consistent light-to-moderate drinking (.0–39/.0–39 g/day) from age 20 to baseline agewasassociated with a 16% lower mortality, while heavy drinking at both ages (80/40 and 40/0 g/day) was associated with higher mortality comparedwith stable abstinence.Conclusions: Our findings support a reduced mortality risk associated with low-dose drinking but also highlight a higher mortality risk for consistentheavy drinking from a young age.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Sociologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Sociology (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Alcohol consumption

mortality

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