title: Association between alcohol consumption and metabolic syndrome among Korean adults: nondrinker versus lifetime abstainer as a reference group.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Discrepant results regarding the association between alcohol consumption and metabolic syndrome may be partly attributable to the different selection of the reference group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from a representative sample of 6,432 Korean adults in 2008 were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using lifetime abstainers as the reference group, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among men was increased in ex-drinkers [3.15 (1.69-5.89)], responsible drinking [0.1-39.9 g/day; 1.77 (1.0-3.13)], and hazardous drinking [≥40 g/day; 2.06 (1.05-4.07)].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alcohol consumption in men, but not in women, is associated with a higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Inje University Haeundae Paik-Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea. H00083@paik.ac.kr
authors.forename: Seung Ha
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013695:Temperance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data