Issue 124 Item 7 Moderate Drinking May Help Control Blood Glucose

Drinking moderate amounts of wine, beer or hard alcohol is associated with better blood glucose control among healthy adults, particularly women, study findings indicate. Women who drank any kind of alcohol had lower hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels than non-drinkers, regardless of their body mass index (BMI).

In men, however, only wine was associated with lower blood glucose levels, the researchers report in the September issue of the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Lifestyle and personality traits associated with wine drinking may account for the finding, they note, as previous studies have linked beer drinking among men to smoking, hostility and a less healthy diet.

Drinking wine, on the other hand, is associated with healthy lifestyle behaviors, such as not smoking and avoiding obesity, as well as a higher level of education. Wine also tends to be consumed with meals, which would blunt the effects of alcohol on the body.

Whatever the reason, the results support those of previous studies and "provide further evidence that moderate alcohol consumption may be one component of a healthy lifestyle," Dr. N. J. Wareham, from the University of Cambridge in the UK, and colleagues conclude.

The results are based on interviews with more than 6400 white adults, 40 to 78 years of age, who were participating in a study on diet and chronic disease.

Overall, adults who consumed the most alcohol tended to be younger and to have lower blood glucose levels. Those who consumed alcohol also tended to be more educated, to smoke, and to report exercising.

BMI declined as alcohol intake rose among women. Among men, however, BMI rose in tandem to the amount of alcohol consumed.

Men and women also differed in the type of alcohol they drank. Men drank more beer, while women tended to drink more wine. Fruit and vegetable consumption was associated with wine but not beer intake. Eur J Clin Nutr 2002;56:882-890.