HIGH-DENSITY-LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL AND ALCOHOL-CONSUMPTION IN UNITED-STATES WHITE AND BLACK ADULTS - DATA FROM NHANES-II

Objectives. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is known to be positively related to moderate alcohol consumption from studies in sel ected populations. This study describes the association in a represent ative sample of the US adult population. Methods. Stratification and m ultivariate regression analyses were used to examine HDL cholesterol l evels and alcohol consumption. Results. Fewer women than men reported consumption of alcohol at any frequency. similar percentages of Whites and Blacks reported alcohol consumption. Age-adjusted mean HDL choles terol levels were higher among alcohol drinkers than among nondrinkers in all sex-race strata. Mean HDL cholesterol levels of Whites and Bla cks of both sexes increased consistently with increased frequency of c onsumption of beer, wine, and liquor. With age, education, body mass i ndex, smoking, and physical activity controlled for, there were higher age-adjusted HDL cholesterol levels with increasing reported quantiti es of alcohol consumed. Daily or weekly use of alcohol led to an incre ase of 5.1 mg/dL in mean HDL cholesterol level, whereas consumption of 1 g of alcohol led to an increase of 0.87 mg/dL. Conclusion. Even if there is a causal association between alcohol consumption and higher H DL cholesterol levels, it is suggested that efforts to reduce coronary heart disease risks concentrate on the cessation of smoking and weigh t control.