Abstract

OBJECTIVE—This study aimed to investigate the relation between alcohol consumption and type 2 diabetes among older women.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Between 1993 and 1997, 16,330 women aged 49–70 years and free from diabetes were enrolled in one of the Dutch Prospect-EPIC (European Prospective Study Into Cancer and Nutrition) cohorts and followed for 6.2 years (range 0.1–10.1). At enrollment, women filled in questionnaires and blood samples were collected.

RESULTS—During follow-up, 760 cases of type 2 diabetes were documented. A linear inverse association (P = 0.007) between alcohol consumption and type 2 diabetes risk was observed, adjusting for potential confounders. Compared with abstainers, the hazard ratio for type 2 diabetes was 0.86 (95% CI 0.66–1.12) for women consuming 5–30 g alcohol per week, 0.66 (0.48–0.91) for 30–70 g per week, 0.91 (0.67–1.24) for 70–140 g per week, 0.64 (0.44–0.93) for 140–210 g per week, and 0.69 (0.47–1.02) for >210 g alcohol per week. Beverage type did not influence this association. Lifetime alcohol consumption was associated with type 2 diabetes in a U-shaped fashion.

CONCLUSIONS—Our findings support the evidence of a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes with moderate alcohol consumption and expand this to a population of older women.