Life style habits such as alcohol consumption and physical activity in relation to serum apoB / apoA-I ratio amongst 64-year-old women with varying degrees of glucose tolerance.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate how life style factors such as alcohol consumption and physical activity relate to the serum apoB / apoA-I ratio in a cohort of middle-aged women with varying degrees of glucose tolerance.


METHODS
Observational, cross-sectional cohort study.


METHODS
Research laboratory at a University Hospital.


METHODS
A screened cohort of 64-year-old postmenopausal women with varying degrees of glucose tolerance, ranging from diabetes (n = 232), impaired (n = 212) and normal (n = 191) glucose tolerance.


METHODS
ApoB / apoA-I ratio in relation to alcohol consumption and physical activity as assessed by questionnaires.


RESULTS
Alcohol consumption and regular physical activity at high levels were inversely associated with the serum apoB / apoA-I ratio independently of confounding factors such as obesity, lipid-lowering treatment, degree of glucose tolerance and hormone replacement therapy. Alcohol seemed related to the apoB / apoA-I ratio mainly through increasing apoA-I, whereas physical activity seemed mainly related to lowering of apoB. Alcohol consumption above a daily intake of 8.9 g, i.e. less than a glass of wine was accompanied by a decrease in apoB / apoA-I ratio.


CONCLUSIONS
Amongst these 64-year-old women with varying degrees of glucose tolerance, a moderate alcohol intake and regular physical exercise leading to sweating were associated with lower apoB / apoA-I ratio and these effects seem to be additive.
Simonsson
M
M
Wallenberg Laboratory for Cardiovascular Research, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg University, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Schmidt
C
C
Sigurdadottir
V
V
Helenius
M-L
ML
Fagerberg
B
B
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood; D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I / Q000097:blood; D001053:Apolipoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D001055:Apolipoproteins B / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood*; D004522:Educational Status; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000097:blood*; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008875:Middle Aged
D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I; D001053:Apolipoproteins; D001055:Apolipoproteins B