Wine Information Council
november 2012
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Inverse association between triglycerides-to-HDL-cholesterol ratio and alcohol drinking in middle-aged Japanese men

OBJECTIVE: Triglycerides-to-high-density-lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL-C ratio) has been proposed to be a useful predictor of cardiovascular disease. Habitual alcohol drinking causes elevation of triglycerides and HDL cholesterol levels. The purpose of this study was to determine how the TG/HDL-C ratio is influenced by alcohol intake.

METHOD: Subjects were 21,572 Japanese men (age range: 35-60 years) who were divided into non-, light (/=22 but /=44 g ethanol/day) drinkers. The relationship between alcohol intake and TG/HDL-C ratio was investigated by using analysis of covariance and logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS: Log-transformed TG/HDL-C ratio was significantly lower in light, heavy, and very heavy drinkers than in nondrinkers and was lowest in light drinkers. Odds ratios for high TG/HDL-C ratios in light and heavy drinkers versus nondrinkers were significantly lower than a reference level of 1.00 (light drinkers: 0.63, 95% CI [0.57, 0.71],p < .01); heavy drinkers: 0.75, 95% CI [0.69, 0.81],p < .01]). Odds ratios for high waist-to-height ratio of subjects with versus subjects without high TG/HDL-C ratios were significantly higher than the reference level in non-, light, heavy, and very heavy drinkers and were significantly lower in heavy and very heavy drinkers than in nondrinkers (nondrinkers: 3.84 [3.42,4.31]; light drinkers: 3.65 [2.97,4.48]; heavy drinkers: 3.17 [2.84, 3.54],p < .05 compared with nondrinkers; very heavy drinkers: 2.61 [2.29, 2.97],p < .01 compared with nondrinkers).

CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol drinking is inversely associated with TG/ HDL-C ratio and confounds the relationship between TG/HDL-C ratio and obesity.

Additional Info

  • Authors

    Wakabayashi I.

  • Issue

    J.Stud.Alcohol Drugs / pages 998-1004 / volume 73

  • Published Date

    november 2012

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