Relationship between alcohol intake and dietary pattern: Findings from NHANES III

Table 3 Clinical characteristics and dietary patterns in female cohorts (n = 4733)

	Levels of alcohol consumption (g/d)					P value
	Non-drinkers (n = 4062)	< 13 (n = 161)	13-21 (n = 169)	22-38 (n = 172)	> 38 (n = 169)
Age (yr)	49.1 ± 19.5	45.6 ± 18.4	45.4 ± 17.6	41.9 ± 15.2	41.3 ± 14.3	< 0.01
Body mass index (kg/m2)	26.3 ± 5.0	25.1 ± 4.5	24.9 ± 4.9	24.8 ± 4.5	24.8 ± 4.5	< 0.05
Body weight (kg)	67.3 ± 13.9	64.8 ± 11.8	65.7 ± 14.1	66.3 ± 11.9	66.4 ± 13.0	< 0.05
Cigarette smoking (%)	19	25	30.1	35.4	44.9	< 0.01
Waist to hip ratio	0.87 ± 0.08	0.85 ± 0.07	0.86 ± 0.08	0.86 ± 0.11	0.86 ± 0.08	0.94
AST (U/L)	19.8 ± 12.1	18.9 ± 6.7	23.4 ± 30.9	20.9 ± 11.5	20.5 ± 9.4	< 0.01
ALT (U/L)	14.6 ± 13.8	13.8 ± 8.8	15.1 ± 14.2	14.6 ± 10.5	14.6 ± 10.7	< 0.01
Physical activity	56.9 ± 90.9	78.6 ± 105.7	81.6 ± 107.3	70.5 ± 94.8	70.7 ± 104.3	< 0.01
Total energy from food (kcal/d)	1667 ± 667	1816 ± 646	1903 ± 735	1895 ± 651	2316 ± 860	< 0.01
kcal from alcohol (%)	0	3.7 ± 2.2	6.8 ± 3.4	11.6 ± 4.4	23.2 ± 11.4	< 0.01
kcal from carbohydrate (%)	52.4 ± 10.8	48.9 ± 10.5	46.1 ± 10.1	43.8 ± 10.1	38.4 ± 8.7	< 0.01
kcal from protein (%)	15.8 ± 5.0	15.6 ± 4.5	15.0 ± 4.4	14.7 ± 4.2	12.3 ± 3.9	< 0.01
kcal from fat (%)	33.4 ± 9.4	33.2 ± 9.2	33.6 ± 10.1	31.4 ± 9.0	27.3 ± 9.3	< 0.01
kcal from monosaturated fat (%)	12.3 ± 4.0	12.4 ± 4.1	12.8 ± 4.4	11.9 ± 4.1	10.1 ± 3.8	< 0.01
kcal from polysaturated fat (%)	7.3 ± 3.6	7.1 ± 3.3	7.1 ± 3.5	6.9 ± 3.6	6.0 ± 3.4	< 0.04

AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase.