title: Alcohol consumption and body composition in a population-based sample of elderly Australian men.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alcohol is calorie dense, and impacts activity, appetite and lipid processing. The aim of this study was to therefore investigate the association between alcohol consumption and components of body composition including bone, fat and lean tissue.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were recruited from a randomly selected, population-based sample of 534 men aged 65 years and older enrolled in the Geelong Osteoporosis Study. Alcohol intake was ascertained using a food frequency questionnaire and the sample categorised as non-drinkers or alcohol users who consumed ≤2, 3-4 or ≥5 standard drinks on a usual drinking day. Bone mineral density (BMD), lean body mass and body fat mass were measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry; overall adiposity (%body fat), central adiposity (%truncal fat) and body mass index (BMI) were calculated. Bone quality was determined by quantitative heel ultrasound (QUS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 90 current non-drinkers (16.9 %), 266 (49.8 %) consumed 1-2 drinks/day, 104 (19.5 %) 3-4 drinks/day and 74 (13.8 %) ≥5 drinks/day. Those consuming ≥5 drinks/day had greater BMI (+4.8 %), fat mass index (+20.1 %), waist circumference (+5.0 %), %body fat (+15.2 %) and proportion of trunk fat (+5.3 %) and lower lean mass (-5.0 %) than non-drinkers after adjustment for demographic and lifestyle factors. Furthermore, they were more likely to be obese than non-drinkers according to criteria based on BMI (OR = 2.83, 95 %CI 1.10-7.29) or waist circumference (OR = 3.36, 95 %CI 1.32-8.54). There was an inverse relationship between alcohol consumption and QUS parameters and BMD at the mid forearm site; no differences were detected for BMD at other skeletal sites.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher alcohol intake was associated with greater total and central adiposity and reduced bone quality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. carolco@barwonhealth.org.au
authors.forename: Carolyn E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Coulson
authors.forename: Lana J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Sharon L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Brennan
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berk
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kotowicz
authors.forename: Dan I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Lubman
authors.forename: Julie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pasco
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001315:Australia; D015519:Bone Density; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009132:Muscles / Q000502:physiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology; D055105:Waist Circumference; D055815:Young Adult