Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-c47g7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-24T20:32:47.499Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Relationship between alcohol and nutrient intakes and blood status indices of older people living in the UK: further analysis of data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey of people aged 65 years and over, 1994/5

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 1998

CM Walmsley ,
CJ Bates ,
A Prentice  and
TJ Cole
CM Walmsley*
Affiliation:
MRC Dunn Nutrition Unit, Downhams Lane, Milton Road, Cambridge CB4 1XJ, UK
CJ Bates
Affiliation:
MRC Dunn Nutrition Unit, Downhams Lane, Milton Road, Cambridge CB4 1XJ, UK
A Prentice
Affiliation:
MRC Dunn Nutrition Unit, Downhams Lane, Milton Road, Cambridge CB4 1XJ, UK
TJ Cole
Affiliation:
MRC Dunn Nutrition Unit, Downhams Lane, Milton Road, Cambridge CB4 1XJ, UK
*
*Corresponding author: E-mail Catherine.Walmsley@mrc-dunn.cam.ac.uk
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.
Objective:

To examine the relationships between alcohol consumption and a range of nutrient intakes and blood status indices in older people.

Design:

National Diet and Nutrition Survey: cross-sectional survey of nationally representative sample of people aged 65 years or over.

Setting:

Mainland Britain during 1994/5.

Subjects:

1198 people (623 males, 575 females) aged 65 years or over, of whom 925 were living in private households and 273 were living in institutions.

Results:

Intermediate alcohol consumption (particularly 0.1–14 units week−1; 1 unit = 8g) derived from a 4-day diet diary or a 12-month recall questionnaire, was associated with higher intakes of vitamins C, E, B1, iron, calcium, energy from food, carbohydrate and non-starch polysaccharides than heavy alcohol consumption (28 + units week−1) or abstinence, after adjustment for a number of factors (age, sex, domicile, social class, cigarette smoking, self-reported health, grip strength and total energy intake). Intermediate alcohol consumption was also associated with higher blood concentrations (independent of intake) of vitamin C, β-cryptoxanthin, lutein and calcium, with the lowest concentrations being found in heavy alcohol users. The lowest concentrations of serum ferritin were found in light drinkers and the highest levels in heavier alcohol drinkers. Alcohol consumption ranging from 0.1 to > 28 units week−1 was directly correlated with intakes of B vitamins, total energy and fat, with blood concentrations (independent of intake) of lycopene. high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, plasma pyridoxal phosphate and retinol, and with blood pressure and grip strength.

Conclusions:

Compared with abstinence and heavy drinking, light to moderate alcohol consumption in older people is associated with higher intakes of certain nutrients, and higher blood concentrations (independent of intake) of some micronutrient status indices, including antioxidants. The explanation for the latter associations remains unclear and further investigation is recommended. Heavier alcohol consumption is associated with both beneficial and adverse effects with respect to nutrient intakes and health status.

Keywords

ElderlyAlcoholAntioxidantsMicronutrientsNutrient status
Type
Research Article
Information
Public Health Nutrition , Volume 1 , Issue 3 , September 1998 , pp. 157 - 167
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1998

References

1Veenstra, J, Ockhuizen, T, Van de Pol, H, Wedel, M, Schaafsma, G. Effects of a moderate dose of alcohol on blood lipids and lipoproteins postprandially and in the fasting state. Alcohol and Alcoholism 1990; 25: 371–7.Google ScholarPubMed
2Dufour, MC. Alcohol and the elderly. Health Prom. Dis. Prev. 1992; 8: 127–41.Google ScholarPubMed
3Department of Health. Sensible Drinking. The Report of an Inter-Departmental Working Group. 12 1995, Department of Health, London: HMSO.Google Scholar
4Bjorneboe, A, Bjorneboe, G-Ea. Antioxidant status and alcohol-related diseases. Alcohol and Alcoholism 1993; 28: 111–16.Google ScholarPubMed
5Lecomte, E. Herbeth, B, Pirollet, P, et al. Effect of alcohol consumption on blood antioxidant nutrients and oxidative stress indicators. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 1994; 60: 255–61.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6Nordmann, R. Alcohol and antioxidant systems. Alcohol and Alcoholism 1994; 29: 513–22.Google ScholarPubMed
7Russell, RM, Rosenberg, IH, Wilson, PD, et al. Increased urinary excretion and prolonged turnover time of folic acid during ethanol ingestion. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 1983; 38: 64–70.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8Bailey, LB. The role of folate in human nutrition. Nutrition Today 1990; 09/10: 12–19.Google Scholar
9Sauberlich, HE. Evaluation of folate nutrition in population groups. In: Folic Acid Metabolism in Health and Disease. New York: Wiley-Liss, 1990: 211–35.Google Scholar
10Klein, S, Iber, FL. Alcoholism and associated malnutrition in the elderly. Nutrition 1991; 7: 75–9.Google ScholarPubMed
11Ahmed, S, Leo, MA. Lieber, CS. Interactions between alcohol and β-carotene in patients with alcoholic liver disease. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 1994; 60: 420–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12Gloria, L, Cravo, M, Camilo, ME, et al. Nutritional deficiences in chronic alcoholics: relation to dietary intake and alcohol consumption. Am. J. Gastroenterol. 1997; 92: 485–9.Google ScholarPubMed
13Hendriks, HFJ, Veenstra, J, Velthuis-te Wierik, EJM, Schaafsma, G, Kluft, C. Effect of moderate dose of alcohol with evening meal on fibrinolytic factors. BMJ 1994; 308: 1003–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14Rolls, BJ. Ageing and appetite. Nutr. Rev. 1992; 50: 422–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15Department of Health. The Nutrition of Elderly People. Report on Health and Social Subjects, no. 43. London: HMSO, 1992.Google Scholar
16Herbeth, B, Chavance, M, Musse, N, Mejean, L, Vernhes, G. Dietary intake and other determinants of blood vitamins in an elderly population. Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 1989; 43: 175–86.Google Scholar
17Hercberg, S, Preziosi, P, Galan, P, et al. Vitamin status of a healthy French population: dietary intakes and biochemical markers. Int. J. Vit. Nutr. Res. 1994; 64: 220–32.Google ScholarPubMed
18Heseker, H, Schneider, R. Requirement and supply of vitamin C, E and β-carotene for elderly men and women. Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 1994; 48: 118–27.Google ScholarPubMed
19Finch, S, Doyle, W, Lowe, C, et al. National Diet and Nutrition Survey. People Aged 65 Years and Over, vol. 1: Repott of the Diet and Nutrition Survey. London: SO, 1998 (in press).Google Scholar
20Hughes, JM, Smithers, G, Gay, C, et al. The British National Diet and Nutrition Survey of people aged 65 years or over: protocol and feasibility study. Proc. Nutr. Soc. 1995; 54: 631–43.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
21Doll, R. One for the heart. Clinical review. BMJ 1997; 315: 1664–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
22Albanes, D, Virtamo, J, Taylor, PR, Rautalahti, M, Pietinen, P, Heinonen, OP. Effects of supplemental β-carotene, cigarette smoking, and alcohol consumption on scrum carotenoids in the α-tocopherol, β-carotene Cancer Prevention Study. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 1997; 66: 366–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
23Fazio, V, Flint, DM, Wahlqvist, ML. Acute effects of alcohol on plasma ascorbic acid in healthy subjects. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 1981; 34: 2394–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
24Halsted, CH. Folate deficiency in alcoholism. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 1980; 33: 2736–40.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
25Bonjour, JP. Vitamins and alcoholism II. Folate and vitamin B12. Int. J. Vit. Nutr. Res. 1980; 50: 96–121.Google ScholarPubMed
26McMartin, KE, Collins, TD, Shiao, CQ, Vidrine, L, Redetzki, HM. Study of dose-dependence and urinary folate excretion produced by ethanol in humans and rats. Alcoholism: Clin. Exp. Res. 1986; 10: 419–24.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
27Cook, CCH, Walden, RJ, Graham, BR. Gillham, C, Davies, S, Prichard, BNC. Trace element and vitamin deficiency in alcoholic and control subjects. Alcohol and Alcoholism 1991; 26: 541–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
28Charlton, KE, Kruger, M, Labadarios, D, Wolmarans, P, Aronson, I. Iron, folate and vitamin B12 status of an elderly South African population. Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 1997; 51: 424–30.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
29Simonetti, P, Brusamolino, A, Pellegrini, N, et al. Evaluation of the effect of alcohol consumption on erythrocyte lipids and vitamins in a healthy population. Alcoholism: Clin Exp. Res. 1995; 19: 517–22.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
30Lowik, MRH, van Poppel, G, Wedel, M. van den Berg, H, Schrijver, J. Dependence of vitamin B6 status assessment on alcohol intake among elderly men and women (Dutch Nutrition Surveillance System). Am. Inst. Nutr. 1990; 1344–51.Google ScholarPubMed
31Dwyer, JH, Li, L, Dwyer, KM, Curtin, LR, Feinleib, M. Dietary calcium, alcohol, and incidence of treated hypertension in the NHANES I. Epidemiologic follow-up study. Am. J. Epidemiol. 1996, 144: 828–38.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
32Mannisto, S, Pietinen, P, Haukka, J, Ovaskainen, M-L. Albanes, D, Virtamo, J. Reported alcohol intake, diet and body mass index in male smokers. Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 1996; 50: 239–45.Google ScholarPubMed
33Mannisto, S, Uusitalo, K, Fogelholm, M. Pietinen, P. Alcohol beverage drinking, diet and body mass index in a cross-sectional survey. Eur. J Clin. Nutr. 1997; 51: 326–32.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
34Rimm, E, Colditz, G. Smoking, alcohol, and plasma levels of carotenes and vitamin E. Ann. NY Acad. Sci. 1993; 686: 323–34.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
35Schectman, G, Byrd, JC, Gruchow, HW. The influence of smoking on vitamin C status in adults. Am. J. Public Health 1989; 79: 158–62.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
36Zondervan, KT, Ocke, MC, Smit, HA, Seidell, JC. Do dietary and supplementary intakes of antioxidants differ with smoking status. Int. J. Epidemiol. 1996; 25: 70–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
37Ross, MA, Crosely, LK, Brown, KM, et al. Plasma concentrations of carotenoids and antioxidant vitamins in Scottish males: influence of smoking. Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 1995; 49: 861–5.Google ScholarPubMed