Wine Information Council
13 april 2010
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Alcohol intake and risk of coronary heart disease in younger, middle-aged, and older adults

BACKGROUND: Light to moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease. This protective effect of alcohol, however, may be confined to middle-aged or older individuals. Coronary heart disease incidence is low in men or=60 years of age were 0.58 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.36 to 0.93), 0.72 (95% CI, 0.60 to 0.86), and 0.85 (95% CI, 0.75 to 0.97) compared with abstainers. However, the analyses indicated a smaller incidence rate difference between abstainers and moderate consumers in younger adults (incidence rate difference, 45 per 100,000; 90% CI, 8 to 84) than in middle-aged (incidence rate difference, 64 per 100,000; 90% CI, 24 to 102) and older (incidence rate difference, 89 per 100,000; 90% CI, 44 to 140) adults. Similar results were observed in women.

CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol is also associated with a decreased risk of coronary heart disease in younger adults; however, the absolute risk was small compared with middle-aged and older adults.

Additional Info

  • Authors

    O'Reilly E.; Hvidtfeldt U.A.; Tolstrup J.S.; Jakobsen M.U.; Heitmann B.L.; Gronbaek M.; Balter K.; Goldbourt U.; Hallmans G.; Knekt P.; Liu S.; Pereira M.; Pietinen P.; Spiegelman D.; Stevens J.; Virtamo J.; Willett W.C.; Rimm E.B.; Ascherio A.

  • Issue

    Circulation / pages 1589-1597 / volume 121

  • Published Date

    13 april 2010

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