HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Williamson, D F Articles by Trowbridge, F L Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Williamson, D F Articles by Trowbridge, F L

Alcohol and body weight in United States adults.

D F Williamson, M R Forman, N J Binkin, E M Gentry, P L Remington and F L Trowbridge

Alcohol contributes more than 10 per cent of the total caloric intake of adult drinkers in the United States. However, the effect of alcohol on body weight has not been adequately studied in the general population. The association between weight and frequency of alcohol consumption was examined in two national cross-sectional surveys: the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (HANESII; n = 10,929) and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveys (BRFS; n = 18,388). Linear multiple regression was used to estimate the independent effect of alcohol on weight, adjusting for smoking, age, diet practices, physical activity, race, education, and height. Among men, alcohol had only a slight effect on weight in either survey. However, among women, alcohol was associated with a substantial reduction in weight, which was as large as the effect of smoking. Compared with nondrinkers, women who consumed alcohol 7-13 times per week had the greatest reduction in weight: -3.6 kg (95% confidence limits [CL] = -5.6, -1.5 kg) in HANESII and -3.2 kg (95% CL = -4.9, -1.5 kg) in BRFS. Alcohol confounded the association between smoking and weight, and among women it accounted for nearly 45 per cent of the weight-lowering effect of smoking. Alcohol also diminished the weight-lowering effect of smoking in men, while in women the smoking effect was slightly enhanced. Further studies are needed to understand the causal mechanisms by which alcohol is associated with body weight.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. A. Breslow and B. A. Smothers Drinking Patterns and Body Mass Index in Never Smokers: National Health Interview Survey, 1997-2001 Am. J. Epidemiol., February 15, 2005; 161(4): 368 - 376. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. Agartz, R. Momenan, R. R. Rawlings, M. J. Kerich, and D. W. Hommer Hippocampal Volume in Patients With Alcohol Dependence Arch Gen Psychiatry, April 1, 1999; 56(4): 356 - 363. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. K. Jensen, N. H. I Hjollund, T. B. Henriksen, T. Scheike, H. Kolstad, A. Giwercman, E. Ernst, J. P. Bonde, N. E Skakkebæk, and J. Olsen Does moderate alcohol consumption affect fertility? Follow up study among couples planning first pregnancy BMJ, August 22, 1998; 317(7157): 505 - 510. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M Gronbaek, A Deis, T I A Sorensen, U Becker, K Borch-Johnsen, C Muller, P Schnohr, and G Jensen Influence of sex, age, body mass index, and smoking on alcohol intake and mortality BMJ, January 29, 1994; 308(6924): 302 - 306. [Abstract] [Full Text]