Association between alcohol intake, overweight, and serum lipid levels and the risk analysis associated with the development of dyslipidemia

Abstract

Background: Alcohol, overweight, and lipid metabolism contribute to fatty liver and atherosclerosis pathogenesis.

Objective: To study the association of alcoholic intake, overweight, and dyslipidemia.

Methods: We randomly selected 482 age- and sex-matched individuals from East China. Gender, age, education level, smoking, hypertension, daily alcohol intake, drinking duration, and body mass index (BMI) were evaluated in association with triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-density (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol.

Results: The association between dyslipidemia and 8 predictors of disease was made by regression analysis through the generalized additive model. The results showed that age, daily alcohol intake, and BMI were all closely associated with hypertriglyceridemia. Age, duration of drinking, and BMI were all closely associated with hypercholesterolemia. Age and BMI status were both closely associated with high LDL-C levels. By contrast, none of the 8 predictors was closely associated with low HDL-C levels (all P < .05).

Conclusions: Daily alcohol intake was a risk factor for hypertriglyceridemia. By contrast, drinking duration was a protective factor against hypercholesterolemia. Age and BMI were important risk factors for dyslipidemia (excluding HDL-C).

Keywords: Alcohol; High-density lipoprotein cholesterol; Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; Overweight; Total cholesterol; Triglycerides.