Wine &
Health, apr/may 2006
Well it makes sense when you think about
it… A recent study suggests that unhealthy
drinking patters and unhealthy eating patterns
may be linked.
Researches at the National Institute on
Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism studied the
drinking and eating habits of 3,000 participants
and found that those who drank the most,
ate the worst. And vice versa - those who
drank the least, ate the most healthily.
According to the researchers, whose results
were published in February in the American
Journal of Epidemiology, the study is an
important link to understanding the relationship
between alcohol and food consumption. They
also point out that moderate alcohol consumption
is often credited for improved cardiovascular
health, among other benefits, when in fact
some of the health increases might be a
result of a healthy diet.
The study broke alcohol consumption into
three categories: quantity (the amount consumed
on days when alcohol was consumed), frequency
(how many days alcohol was consumed), and
average daily volume.
The study then used the USDA's Healthy
Eating Index as a measuring stick - the
index rates how closely an individual's
diet sticks to USDA recommendations on daily
grain and vegetable servings, total daily
fat grams, etc.
Researchers found that as alcohol consumption
quantity increased for an individual, that
person's Healthy Eating Index declined.
On the other hand, as alcohol consumption
frequency increased, Healthy Eating Index
scores also increased.
Healthy Eating Index scores were lowest
among those individuals who had the highest
quantity and lowest frequency alcohol consumption
ratings.
Diet scores were best among the lowest
quantity, high frequency drinkers.
Researchers emphasized that average daily
volume and daily habits might be the key
- more important, possibly, than quantity
or frequency measured alone.
Sources:
National
Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
American
Journal of Epidemiology
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