USA: As alcohol intake goes up…

...diet quality tend to worsen

A new study, in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, ‘Alcoholic beverage consumption, nutrient intakes, and diet quality in the US adult population 1999-2006′, has found that people who drink more alcohol are also more likely to eat fewer fruit and vegetables, and eat foods that are higher in fat and added sugar. The study was of 15,000 adults, and used information on alcohol consumption and a ‘Healthy Eating Index’. The research was undertaken by the US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The Acting Director of the NIAAA, Kenneth Warren, noted that ‘Heavy drinking and dietary factors have independently been associated with cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and other chronic health problems,’ and that ‘This finding raises questions about whether the combination of alcohol misuse and poor diet might interact to further increase health risks.’

No hypotheses are given in the report as to the cause of the association between  the behaviours.

Source: NIH News, 25 March 2010.

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