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PubMedDate not supplied

Patterns of alcohol consumption in the Seychelles Islands (Indian Ocean).

Self-reported drinking habits were examined in a random sample of 1067 persons aged 25-64 years in the Seychelles, a country in epidemiological transition where consumption of home-brewed, mostly unregistered beverages has been traditionally high. Alcohol consumption was calculated from respondents reporting at least one drink per week ('regular drinkers'). Among men, 51.1% were regular drinkers and had average intake of 112.1 ml alcohol a day. Among women, 5.9% were regular drinkers and had 49.7 ml alcohol a day. Frequency of drinking, but not amount per drinker, was slightly less in the 25-34-year than older-age categories. Home-brews (mostly palm toddy and fermented sugar cane juice) were consumed by 52% of regular drinkers and accounted for 54% of the total alcohol intake reported by all regular drinkers. Based on the reported consumption by regular drinkers only, the average annual alcohol consumption amounted respectively to 20.7 litres and 1.2 litres per man and woman aged 25-64 years, or, using extrapolation, 13.2 litres and 0.8 litres per man and woman respectively of the total population. These values may underestimate the true figures by half, since reported beer consumption accounted for 53% of beer sales. Socio-economic status was associated strongly and inversely with home-brew consumption, but slightly and positively with consumption of commercially marketed beverages. Alcohol intake was associated with smoking, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, carbohydrate-deficient transferrin and blood pressure, but not with age and body mass index. In conclusion, these data show high alcohol consumption in the Seychelles with an important gender difference, a large proportion of alcohol derived from home-brews, and opposite tendencies for the relationships between socio-economic status and home-made or commercially marketed beverages.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The effects of chronic ethanol consumption and ethanol withdrawal on serum cholinesterase activity in rats.

AIMS: The effect of chronic ethanol consumption and ethanol withdrawal on serum cholinesterase (ChE) activity was investigated in female Wistar rats. METHODS: Ethanol was administered by a modified liquid diet with 4.8% (v/v) ethanol for 3 days followed by 25 days on a liquid diet in which the ethanol concentration was increased to 7.2%. Control rats were pair-fed with an isocaloric liquid diet not containing ethanol. The blood ethanol concentration and serum ChE activity were measured at the end of the 4.8% ethanol consumption period; after 7, 14 and 35 days of ethanol (7.2%) consumption, and at 24 and 72 h after ethanol withdrawal following ethanol consumption of 35 days. RESULTS: Daily ethanol consumption of the rats ranged from 11.5 to 14.9 g/kg. Serum ChE activity was found significantly increased from the 3rd day of ethanol (4.8%) consumption. Serum ChE activities of the rats receiving 7.2% ethanol also increased significantly compared with rats ingesting 4.8% ethanol. Blood ethanol levels were measured as 121 and 0.88 mg/dl on the 35th day of ethanol (7.2%) consumption (just before ethanol withdrawal) and after 24 h of ethanol withdrawal, respectively. Increased serum ChE activity (1968 U/l) was still observed (1942 U/l) after 24 h of ethanol withdrawal. ChE activity returned to control levels (501 U/l) after 72 h of ethanol withdrawal. Audiogenic seizures indicating development of physical dependence on ethanol were also observed after 8 h of ethanol withdrawal in another individual group of ethanol-fed rats. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that serum ChE activity is increased by chronic ethanol consumption in rats and that this increase is affected by ethanol concentration and duration of ethanol ingestion.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed2006

Associations of social-environmental and individual-level factors with adolescent soft drink consumption: results from the SMILE study.

Adolescent obesity is positively associated with soft drink consumption. We investigated the association of social-environmental and individual-level factors with soft drink consumption in a Dutch adolescent sample. Data were gathered in a longitudinal Dutch adolescent sample (n = 208, 62% girls). Soft drink consumption, social cognitions from the Theory of Planned Behaviour and parenting practices towards limited soft drink intake, and Big Five personality dimensions were assessed. Data were analyzed using three-step linear regression analyses. Effect sizes were used as the informational source for the explanatory value of the model. Interaction terms were computed to test the individual-environment interaction. Attitude and subjective norm were significantly associated with soft drink consumption. When controlling for social cognitions, the distal variables parenting practices and the personality dimension Agreeableness remained significantly associated with soft drink consumption. Agreeableness moderated the association of parenting practices with adolescent soft drink consumption. Standardized regression coefficients ranged from 0.16 to 0.24 and explained 14% of the variance in soft drink consumption, indicating a medium effect size. Stricter parenting practices were associated with less soft drink consumption and these effects were moderated by adolescent personality. The direct effects of practices and personality are noteworthy from a theoretical perspective. Implications for obesity prevention interventions are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Caffeine consumption and blood pressure: an epidemiological study.

A cross-sectional survey of 5147 Australians attending a health screening clinic was conducted to determine if there was an association between habitual consumption of caffeine, or particular caffeine-containing beverages, and blood pressure. The average caffeine consumption of the study population was 240 mg/day. Caffeine consumption within the last three hours was found to be associated with significantly higher mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure in both sexes after controlling for age, adiposity, first degree relatives with hypertension, serum cholesterol level, alcohol consumption and tobacco smoking. Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures differed significantly by 4 mmHg and 2 mmHg respectively for both males and females between those who had consumed caffeine within the last three hours and those who had not consumed it within the last nine hours (p less than 0.01). Average caffeine consumption per day was not associated with blood pressure in either sex after controlling for time since caffeine consumption. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the relative risk of high blood pressure (treated and untreated) for the groups consuming and not consuming caffeine in the last three hours. This relative risk was significantly greater than unity in females only (p less than 0.05). After controlling for time since caffeine consumption, caffeine consumption per day was not associated with significantly increased risk of high blood pressure.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Consumption of black tea and cancer risk: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Tea is one of the most frequently consumed beverages in the world. Antioxidant polyphenol compounds (such as catechins and flavonols) are abundantly present in both green and black teas and have been observed to have anticarcinogenic properties in cell and animal model studies. In black tea, however, most of the catechins have been oxidized to forms that may have reduced anticarcinogenic properties. Despite indications from experimental studies that tea may protect against cancer, epidemiologic evidence has been inconclusive. PURPOSE: The association between black tea consumption and the subsequent risk of stomach, colorectal, lung, and breast cancers was investigated in The Netherlands Cohort Study on Diet and Cancer among 58,279 men and 62,573 women aged 55-69 years. METHODS: Subjects in the cohort completed a self-administered questionnaire on dietary habits and other risk factors for cancer at base line in 1986. Follow-up for cancer was done by means of computerized record linkage with all nine regional cancer registries in The Netherlands and the national pathology database. During 4.3 years of follow-up, 200, 650, 764, and 650 cases of stomach, colorectal, lung, and breast cancers were diagnosed, respectively. The questionnaire data of case subjects and those of a random subcohort (n = 3500) were used to calculate rate ratios (RRs) of cancer in categories of consumers of black tea compared with nonconsumers. RESULTS: Tea was not used by 13% of the subjects in the cohort, whereas 37%, 34%, and 16% consumed one to two, three to four, and five or more cups of tea per day, respectively. No association was observed between tea consumption and risk of colorectal cancer: The risk among tea drinkers in each consumption category was similar to that among nondrinkers. The RR of breast cancer among consumers of five or more cups of tea per day was 1.3 (95% confidence interval = 0.9-2.0); no dose-response association was observed. In age- and sex-adjusted analyses, consumption of tea was inversely associated with stomach (two-sided P for trend = .147) and lung (two-sided P for trend < .001) cancers. However, tea drinkers appeared to smoke less and to eat more vegetables and fruits than nondrinkers. When smoking and dietary factors were taken into account, tea in itself did not appear to protect against stomach and lung cancers: The RRs in all consumption categories were close to unity. Analysis of the tea and cancer relationship in a subgroup that included subjects in the lowest two quintiles of consumption of vegetables and fruits also failed to reveal a protective effect of tea consumption on the risk of three cancer types studied (colorectal, lung, and breast cancers). CONCLUSIONS: This investigation does not support the hypothesis that consumption of black tea protects against four of the major cancers in humans; a cancer-enhancing effect was not evident, either.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Prospective study of fruit and vegetable consumption and incidence of colon and rectal cancers.

BACKGROUND: Frequent consumption of fruit and vegetables has been associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer in many observational studies. METHODS: We prospectively investigated the association between fruit and vegetable consumption and the incidence of colon and rectal cancers in two large cohorts: the Nurses' Health Study (88 764 women) and the Health Professionals' Follow-up Study (47 325 men). Diet was assessed and cumulatively updated in 1980, 1984, 1986, and 1990 among women and in 1986 and 1990 among men. The incidence of cancer of the colon and rectum was ascertained up to June or January of 1996, respectively. Relative risk (RR) estimates were calculated with the use of pooled logistic regression models accounting for various potential confounders. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS: With a follow-up including 1 743 645 person-years and 937 cases of colon cancer, we found little association of colon cancer incidence with fruit and vegetable consumption. For women and men combined, a difference in fruit and vegetable consumption of one additional serving per day was associated with a covariate-adjusted RR of 1.02 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.98-1.05). A difference in vegetable consumption of one additional serving per day was associated with an RR of 1.03 (95% CI = 0.97-1.09). Similar results were obtained for women and men considered separately. A difference in fruit consumption of one additional serving per day was associated with a covariate-adjusted RR for colon cancer of 0.96 (95% CI = 0.89-1.03) among women and 1. 08 (95% CI = 1.00-1.16) among men. For rectal cancer (total, 244 cases), a difference in fruit and vegetable consumption of one additional serving per day was associated with an RR of 1.02 (95% CI = 0.95-1.09) in men and women combined. None of these associations was modified by vitamin supplement use or smoking habits. CONCLUSIONS: Although fruits and vegetables may confer protection against some chronic diseases, their frequent consumption does not appear to confer protection from colon or rectal cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Measurement methods of drug consumption as a secondary judgment criterion for clinical trials in chronic rheumatic diseases.

Drug consumption is sometimes used as a secondary judgment criterion for clinical trials. Many measurement methods are available to quantify drug consumption. Several methods were applied in a rheumatic disease trial involving 121 patients with chronic low back pain who lived around Saint-Nectaire, France, and who participated in the trial from April to November 1993 to determine an easily used and practical measurement method to detect a significant drug consumption change over time. Analgesic and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were classified according to the anatomical therapeutic chemical classification. Consumption was quantified on a weekly basis in number of tablets (method 1), unit of defined daily dose (method 2), milligrams of active principle (method 3), and NSAID equivalence score (method 4). These methods were applied in a randomized clinical trial of spa therapy on sufferers of chronic low back pain. An analysis of variance with repeated measures showed a significant difference in drug consumption between treatment and control groups detected by all methods, except for the NSAID consumption measured with method 3. The comparison of each method by the relative efficiency index indicated that method 1 had a greater sensitivity for detecting changes of drug consumption. Tablet count appears to be a more sensitive and more practical method for detecting a drug consumption change in clinical trials.

Analgesics↗
PubMed1992

Moderate maternal and paternal alcohol consumption and the risk of spontaneous abortion.

Maternal alcoholism can lead to the fetal alcohol syndrome in offspring, but the effect of more moderate alcohol consumption during pregnancy remains an issue of concern. Therefore, we analyzed data from a large case-control study of spontaneous abortion (626 cases, 1,300 controls) that ascertained maternal alcohol consumption before and during pregnancy, as well as paternal consumption. Asking when in pregnancy alcohol consumption changed allowed us to calculate a weighted average of the amount consumed weekly during the first trimester. The odds ratio for consumption of seven or more drinks per week was 1.9 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.1-3.4] when adjusted for maternal smoking, passive smoking, and maternal age. Data were too sparse to examine higher consumption levels. There was some evidence that cases may have had less opportunity than controls to decrease consumption during their shorter pregnancies, potentially biasing the odds ratio upward. The adjusted odds ratio for any paternal alcohol consumption was 1.2 (CI = 0.93-1.5), with no dose-response effect seen. Among pregnancies in which the mother did not drink, there was no association with paternal drinking.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗
PubMed2001

Alcohol as a gastric disinfectant? The complex relationship between alcohol consumption and current Helicobacter pylori infection.

Alcoholic beverages have antimicrobial effects against Helicobacter pylori in vitro. To elucidate the relation between alcohol consumption and current infection with H. pylori in vivo, we carried out a pooled analysis of three recent studies from Southern Germany, comprising 1410 adults age 15 to 69. Detailed information on consumption of various alcoholic beverages was collected through standardized questionnaires. Helicobacter pylori infection was measured by 15C-urea breath test. Overall, prevalence of current H. pylori infection was lower among subjects who consumed alcohol (34.9%) than among nondrinkers (38.0%). The adjusted odds ratio was 0.79, with a 95% confidence interval of 0.58-1.08. Furthermore, alcohol consumption showed a strong inverse relation to the result of the 13C-urea breath test, a semiquantitative measure of the bacterial load, among infected subjects. The inverse association between alcohol consumption and H. pylori infection was not monotonic, however. Odds of infection were lowest at moderate levels of alcohol consumption and increased at higher levels of alcohol consumption, regardless of the type of alcoholic beverages consumed. These results support the hypothesis that moderate alcohol consumption may favor suppression and eventual elimination of H. pylori infection. At higher levels of alcohol consumption, the antimicrobial effects of alcoholic beverages may be opposed by adverse systemic effects of drinking, such as adverse effects on the immune defense.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Lifetime and recent alcohol consumption among male alcoholics. Neuropsychological implications.

Alcoholics experience a relatively well-documented pattern of decline in cognitive and motor functions. This decline is likely the result of multiple causal factors that include head injury, malnutrition, and alcohol consumption. Although alcohol consumption per se has been considered a primary causal agent, research has not demonstrated a consistent relationship between levels of alcohol consumption and these neuropsychological deficits. This study explored such relationships within a sample of 40 detoxified male inpatient alcoholics who did not have a history of polydrug abuse, malnutrition, head injury, neurological disease, or non-alcohol-related psychiatric treatment. Increasing lifetime alcohol consumption was associated with increasing age-adjusted impairment on Halstead-Reitan tests that measure such aspects of functioning as concept formation, cognitive flexibility, and perceptual-motor abilities. Alcohol consumption had a linear relationship with test scores and hypothesized interactions with age did not emerge, nor did the effects of recent drinking appear dependent upon total lifetime consumption. The pattern of consumption (e.g., amount consumed per occasion, spree drinking) was also unrelated to impairment, and the critical neuropathological factor appeared to be the total amount of lifetime alcohol consumption.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Survey data need not underestimate alcohol consumption.

BACKGROUND: There are two main ways to assess alcohol consumption in a population: per capita estimates, usually derived from data on taxable alcohol available for consumption, and population-based surveys. Population-based survey estimates of alcohol consumption are often compared with estimates based on taxable alcohol available for consumption as a measure of validity. Discrepancies between these two measures occur, with the majority of population-based surveys substantially underestimating taxable alcohol available for consumption. METHODS: This article argues, however, that high proportions of taxable alcohol available for consumption can be accounted for by population-based surveys and reports a method of data collection for a national alcohol survey that has accounted for 94% of the taxable alcohol in New Zealand. RESULTS: The ability of the survey methodology to account for this proportion of taxable alcohol is likely due to the within-location beverage-specific alcohol consumption measures used in the survey, the process of recording the quantity of alcohol consumed, the use of a computer-assisted telephone interview system, and the population coverage achieved. CONCLUSIONS: Population-based surveys using the methodology outlined in this article may account for, if not exceed, the high proportions of taxable alcohol available for consumption estimates for some populations.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Does price matter? The effect of decreased price on spirits consumption in Switzerland.

BACKGROUND: On July 1st, 1999, the spirits market in Switzerland was reformed based on the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreement. The tax reform, in addition to increased competition, has resulted in a 30-50% decrease in price for foreign spirits (liquor). The purpose of the present study is to examine whether decreased prices due to the tax reform and the liberalized spirits market in Switzerland have had an effect on spirits consumption, and whether the effect differs by demographic and other correlates. METHODS: The present study uses data from a longitudinal study on changes in alcohol consumption in Switzerland's resident population. The baseline survey was conducted 3 months before the tax reform and the follow-up was conducted 28 months after the tax reform. A randomly selected sample of 4007 residents aged 15 years or older participated in the baseline survey and 73% in the follow-up survey. The data were obtained by computer-assisted telephone interview, including detailed questions on alcohol consumption, drinking habits, problem drinking, purchase of spirits and socio-demographic characteristics. RESULTS: Consumption of spirits increased after the price of spirits decreased. The increase in spirits consumption was consistent across subgroups, with the exception of the group aged 60 or older. Moreover, the increase in spirits consumption persisted even after adjustment for significant correlates of spirits consumption. Apart from age, there was no evidence that the increase in spirits consumption differed between subgroups as defined by sex, region, working status, education, smoking, drinking frequency, or average number of drinks. CONCLUSIONS: The findings demonstrate that younger people are more affected by price than older persons. This study demonstrated that price should be considered an effective policy to reduce alcohol misuse and alcohol-related problems, especially among the younger population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Relation between rates of geriatric suicide and consumption of alcohol beverages in European countries.

Among older adults, suicide is a significant and persistent health problem. The highest suicide rate is found among white men aged 65 years and older. The causes of elder suicide are multifaceted. Although no predominate factor precipitates or explains geriatric suicide, alcohol is strongly linked to suicide attempts and completions. This study examined the relationship between rates of suicide in 65- to 74-year-olds and per capita consumption of alcoholic beverages in European countries. Data on suicide rates in 65- to 74-year-olds and per capita consumption of alcoholic beverages were obtained from the World Health Organization databases. Correlations were computed to examine relationships between suicide rates in 65- to 74-year-old males and females and per capita consumption of beer, wine, and spirits in the general population in 34 European countries. There was a positive correlation between suicide rates in 65- to 74-year-old males and per capita consumption of spirits. No correlations between suicide rates in 65- to 74-year-old males and per capita consumption of beer or wine were found. We also found no correlations between rates of suicide in 65- to 74-year-old females and per capita consumption of beer, wine, or spirits. The results of this study are consistent with reports that consumption of spirits is associated with suicide events. It is to be hoped that this paper will stimulate further studies that are necessary to clarify the relation between suicide rates in different age groups and consumption of alcoholic beverages, and attract more attention to the problem of geriatric suicide.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Alcohol consumption among unemployed youths: results from a prospective study.

A prospective study, including all 1083 pupils in the final year of compulsory schooling in a municipality in northern Sweden, was performed. Ninety-seven point nine per cent of the pupils were followed up after five years. They completed a comprehensive self-administered questionnaire including questions on alcohol consumption. Among men a positive correlation between long-standing unemployment (greater than 20 weeks) and alcohol consumption at the beginning and at the end of the study, as well as the change in consumption during the follow-up period was seen. This correlation was still present when earlier alcohol consumption and socioeconomic variables were controlled for. In women there was a positive correlation between unemployment and the level of alcohol consumption, but a negative correlation between unemployment and change in consumption. When controlling for motherhood and alcohol intake at the start of the study the correlation turned positive. Unemployment among women did not seem to affect recruitment to the high consumption group. Our results support the suggestion that unemployment may be a risk indicator for increasing alcohol consumption among young people, particularly in young men.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Measuring average alcohol consumption: the impact of including binge drinks in quantity-frequency calculations.

AIMS: Average daily alcohol consumption is usually calculated based on self-reports of the quantity (number of drinks consumed per drinking-day) and frequency (number of drinking-days) of alcohol consumption within a given time period. However, this method may underestimate average daily alcohol consumption (and in turn, the prevalence of heavy drinking), because studies demonstrate that respondents do not typically include binge drinking occasions in estimates of their 'usual' or 'average' daily alcohol consumption. DESIGN: We used the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), an annual random-digit telephone survey of US adults aged 18 years or older, to estimate average daily alcohol consumption using standard quantity-frequency questions, and then recalculated this measure by including self-reports of binge drinking. The proportion of respondents who met a standard, sex-specific definition of heavy drinking based on average daily alcohol consumption was then assessed nationally and for each state. FINDINGS: Compared to standard quantity-frequency methods, including binge drinks in calculations of average daily alcohol consumption increased the relative prevalence of heavy drinking among all adults by 19% to 42% (depending on the method used to estimate the number of drinks per binge). Among binge drinkers, the overall prevalence of heavy drinking increased 53% relative to standard quantity-frequency methods. As a result, half of women binge drinkers and half of binge drinkers aged 55 or older met criteria for heavy drinking. CONCLUSIONS: Including binge drinks (especially the application of age- and sex-specific estimates of binge drinks) in the calculation of average daily alcohol consumption can improve the accuracy of prevalence estimates for heavy drinking among US adults, and should be considered to increase the usefulness of this measure for alcohol surveillance.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Increasing daily fruit and vegetable consumption: what changes do cardiac patients make?

BACKGROUND: Interventions targeting fruit and vegetable consumption report significant increases in consumption but do not detail how increases are achieved. This prospective study explored (i) the changes in daily fruit and daily vegetable consumption of cardiac patients participating in an intervention study and (ii) how participants made these changes. METHODS: A total of 120 cardiac patients were asked to increase their daily fruit and vegetable consumption by two portions and to maintain this over 3 months. They were telephoned at 7-, 28- and 90-day follow-up to record daily consumption using a dietary questionnaire; 94 participants completed all parts of the study. RESULTS: Mean reported daily fruit and daily vegetable consumption increased by 1.07 (SD = 1.26) and 0.34 (SD = 0.96) portions, respectively, over 3 months. These increases were statistically significant (P < 0.001) and greatest for participants who reported eating low levels of fruit and vegetables at recruitment. Eating fresh fruit as a snack and at mealtimes were preferred choices for participants. CONCLUSIONS: Providing information and telephone follow-up could be used by busy healthcare professionals instead of face-to-face contact. Interventions to increase total fruit and vegetable consumption could usefully focus on eating fruit. Interventions to increase vegetable consumption need further investigation.

Female↗
PubMed1998

Consumption of different alcoholic beverages as predictors of local rates of night-time assault and acute alcohol-related morbidity.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether population levels of consumption of some alcoholic beverages are more closely associated with levels of harm than others, particularly if consumption of cask wine is more strongly related to rates of acute alcohol problems than consumption of bottled wine as a consequence of the extremely low rates of federal tax levied on the former. METHOD: A database of alcohol consumption and related problems was established for 130 areas of Western Australia. Demographic and economic data for these areas were included from the 1991 census. Empirically derived assumptions regarding the mean wholesale price of cask and bottled wine were utilised. Regression analyses examined the extent to which the consumption of different alcoholic beverages predicted levels of major varieties of harm. RESULTS: Only cask wine and high-strength beer consumption were significantly associated with rates of night-time assault; consumption of all beverage varieties except bottled wine was significantly associated with rates of acute alcohol-related morbidity. Further analyses, which included controls for an effect of total alcohol consumption, confirmed the pronounced contributions of cask wine and high-strength beer to rates of night assaults and acute alcohol-related morbidity. The proportion of all alcohol consumed as low-alcohol beer was significantly negatively associated with these harms. CONCLUSIONS: The beverages most associated with rates of night-time assaults and acute alcohol-related morbidity are those with the lowest federal taxation per standard drink, i.e. cask not bottled wine and regular-strength not low-alcohol beer.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Perception of pregnancy and social support as predictors of alcohol consumption during pregnancy.

Although an association between alcohol consumption during pregnancy and adverse fetal outcomes has been well documented, variables related to alcohol consumption during pregnancy have remained neglected. Since pregnancy has been considered a time of crisis and stress for pregnant women, this study sought to determine the association of perceptions of pregnancy and social support to alcohol consumption during pregnancy. The 311 Southern metropolitan prenatal patients sampled were interviewed twice during pregnancy. Perception of pregnancy was not found to be correlated with either social support or alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Social support was significantly associated with decreased alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Using standard multiple regressions, two components of social support, general support and pregnancy support, were found to be working in opposite directions prior to pregnancy, with general support showing a positive association with alcohol consumption. Only pregnancy support continued to account for a significant amount of the variance in alcohol consumption during the first 4 months of pregnancy. Pregnancy support, additionally, showed a significant negative association with high maximum drinking (consuming five or more drinks on occasion) prior to pregnancy. These findings suggest that social support may be an important predictor of alcohol consumption both prior to and during pregnancy and merits further investigation.

Age Factors↗