BEER BINGING AND MORTALITY - RESULTS FROM THE KUOPIO ISCHEMIC-HEART-DISEASE RISK FACTOR STUDY, A PROSPECTIVE POPULATION-BASED STUDY

Objective: To examine the association between beer binging (regular se ssions of heavy beer drinking) and mortality. Design: Prospective popu lation based study with the baseline assessment of level of alcohol in take (dose), by type of drink and drinking pattern, previous and exist ing diseases, socioeconomic background, occupational status, involveme nt in organisations during leisure time, physical activity in leisure time, body mass index, blood pressure, serum lipids and plasma fibrino gen concentration, during an average of 7.7 years' follow up of mortal ity. Setting: Finland. Subjects: A population sample of 1641 men who c onsumed beer who were aged 42, 48, 54, or 60 years at baseline. Main o utcome measures: All cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, death due to external causes, fatal myocardial infarctions. Results: The ris k of death was substantially increased in men whose usual dose of beer was 6 or more bottles per session compared with men who usually consu med less than 3 bottles, after adjustment forage and total alcohol con sumption (relative risk 3.01 (95% confidence interval 1.54 to 5.90) fo r all deaths; 7.10 (2.01 to 25.12) for external deaths; and 6.50 (2.05 to 20.61) for fatal myocardial infarction). The association changed o nly slightly when smoking, occupational status, previous diseases, sys tolic blood pressure, low density lipoprotein and high density lipopro tein cholesterol concentration, plasma fibrinogen concentration, body mass index, marital status, leisure time physical activity, and involv ement in organisations were controlled for. Conclusion: The pattern of beer binging is associated with increased risk of death, independentl y of the total average consumption of alcoholic drinks. The relation i s not explained by known behavioural, psychosocial, or biological risk factors. Death due to injuries and other external causes is overrepre sented.