The relationship between alcohol consumption, health indicators and mortality in the German population

Background The patterns of total alcohol, beer and wine consumption were ev aluated in the German National Health Surveys. The impact of these habits o n cardiovascular and all-cause mortality as well as cardiovascular risk fac tors and liver disease parameters was estimated. Methods Independent representative samples of the German population (15 400 people), and regional samples of the Berlin-Spandau population (2370 in to tal), aged 25-69 years, were analysed. The amount and frequency of alcohol consumption was assessed with standardized questionnaires. Biochemical anal yses included serum lipids and gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase (Gamma GT). Mu ltiple analyses of variance were used to determine the relationship between alcohol intake and biochemical parameters. A mortality follow-up of about 7 years was conducted for the Berlin-Spandau population. Proportional hazar d models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) for all-cause and cardiov ascular mortality. Results Over 80% of men and 55% of women in Germany drink alcohol on a regu lar base. The majority of the consumers (65% of men, 87% of women) are ligh t (1-20 g/day) or moderate (21-40 g/day) drinkers. Higher serum high densit y lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol and Gamma GT levels were observed with incr easing alcohol intake. In light and moderate drinkers no significant relati onship was seen with non-HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure and body mass index, compared to teetotallers. Men who consumed 1-20 g alcohol /day had a significantly lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. As c ompared to nondrinkers, the risk was almost 50% lower. Conclusion The results suggest that light (and possibly moderate) alcohol c onsumption reduces the risk of cardiovascular and total mortality risk and is favourably related to HDL-cholesterol.