Alcohol consumption and abdominal fat in blood donors.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the association between alcohol consumption and abdominal fat.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study carried out in a sample of male blood donors (n=1,235), aged 20-59 years, in the city of Cuiabá, Central-West Brazil, between August 1999 and January 2000. Waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio were indicators of abdominal fat, adjusted for total adiposity. Weight, height, waist and hip circumferences were measured. Alcohol consumption was evaluated using a questionnaire collecting information on type, frequency, and amount of consumption. The association between alcohol consumption and abdominal fat was assessed through multiple linear regression models adjusted for age, physical activity, smoking, and percent of body fat.


RESULTS
After adjustment, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio were positively associated with beer (p=0.02) and total alcohol consumption (p=0.01; p=0.03, respectively). Waist circumference was positively associated with spirit consumption (p=0.04).


CONCLUSIONS
Alcohol intake, particularly beer, was positively associated to abdominal fat.
Ferreira
Márcia Gonçalves
MG
Departamento de Alimentos e Nutrição, Faculdade de Nutrição, Instituto de Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, MT, Brasil. margon@terra.com.br
Valente
Joaquim Gonçalves
JG
Gonçalves-Silva
Regina Maria Veras
RM
Sichieri
Rosely
R
D050153:Abdominal Fat; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055105:Waist Circumference; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio