Alcohol Consumption at Midlife and Successful Ageing in Women
Author Information
Author(s): Sun Qi, Townsend Mary K., Okereke Olivia I., Rimm Eric B., Hu Frank B., Stampfer Meir J., Grodstein Francine
Primary Institution: Harvard School of Public Health
Hypothesis
Is moderate alcohol intake at midlife associated with overall health and well-being among women who survive to older age?
Conclusion
Regular, moderate consumption of alcohol at midlife may be related to a modest increase in overall health status among women who survive to older ages.
Supporting Evidence
- 10.7% of participants achieved successful ageing.
- Light-to-moderate alcohol consumption was associated with increased odds of successful ageing.
- Drinking patterns showed that regular consumption was linked to better health outcomes.
Takeaway
Drinking a little bit of alcohol regularly when you're middle-aged might help you stay healthier as you get older.
Methodology
The study assessed alcohol consumption at midlife using food frequency questionnaires and defined successful ageing based on health status updates from participants who survived to age 70 or older.
Potential Biases
Potential for unmeasured confounding due to the observational nature of the study.
Limitations
The study population was primarily composed of registered nurses with European ancestry, limiting generalizability to other ethnic groups.
Participant Demographics
Participants were primarily female registered nurses, with a median age of 58 years at baseline.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
1.11 (0.96–1.29) for ≤5.0 g/d, 1.19 (1.01–1.40) for 5.1–15.0 g/d, 1.28 (1.03–1.58) for 15.1–30.0 g/d, 1.24 (0.87–1.76) for 30.1–45.0 g/d
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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