Relationship among alcohol intake, body fat, and physical activity: a population-based study.
OBJECTIVE
Aside from fat, ethanol is the macronutrient with the greatest energy density. Whether the energy derived from ethanol affects body composition and fat mass is debatable. We investigated the relationship of alcohol intake, body composition, and physical activity in the U.S. population by using data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III).


METHODS
A total of 10,550 subjects met eligibility criteria and constituted our study cohort. Estimated percent body fat and resting metabolic rate were calculated on the basis of the sum of the skinfolds. Multivariate regression analyses were performed accounting for the study sampling weight.


RESULTS
In both sexes, moderate and hazardous alcohol drinkers were younger (p < .05) and had significantly lower body mass index (p < 0.01) and body weight (p < 0.01) than non-drinkers. Those with hazardous alcohol consumption participated in significantly less physical activity compared with those with no alcohol use and moderate drinkers in both sexes. Women had significantly greater percent body fat than men. In multivariate linear regression analyses, the levels of alcohol consumption were found to be an independent predictor associated with lower percent body fat only in male subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results showed that alcoholics are habitually less active and that alcohol drinking is an independent predictor of lower percent body fat, especially in male alcoholics.
Liangpunsakul
Suthat
S
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Clarian Health Digestive Disease Center, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5124, USA. sliangpu@iupui.edu
Crabb
David W
DW
Qi
Rong
R
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000378:metabolism*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000378:metabolism*; D000886:Anthropometry; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D000431:Ethanol / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D000431:Ethanol