Abstract
The relationship of alcohol intake to blood pressure and serum lipids and lipoprotein was studied in 4, 535 women, ranging from 40 to 59 years of age. The data was adjusted for age, body mass index (BMI), cigarette smoking, and physical activity. Subjects who drank more than 1 drink had significantly higher mean value of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) than non-drinker and subjects who drank up to 1 drink. Subjects who drank more than 2 drinks had significantly higher mean value of SBP and DBP than non-drinker and subjects who drank up to 2 drinks. Subjects who drank had significantly lower mean value of total cholesterol (TC), the ratio of TC to high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and significantly higher mean value of HDL-C than non-drinker. Subjects who drank up to 2 drinks had significantly lower mean value of LDL-C than non-drinker and up to 1 drink. Subjects who drank more than 2 drinks had significantly lower mean value of LDL-C than non-drinker, up to 1 drink, and up to 2 drinks. The present study reveals that alcohol intake is negatively associated with SBP and DBP and favourbly associated with lipids and lipoprotein.
