Table 1 Baseline characteristics according to drinking status (n = 331,984).

From: Low-level alcohol consumption and cancer mortality

Characteristics

Overall

Drinking status

Never drinkers

Former drinkers

0.1 to < 10 g/day

10 to < 20 g/day

20 to < 40 g/day

 ≥ 40 g/day

Number

331,984

18,455

27,115

148,310

58,270

43,608

36,226

Age (years)a

38.9 (9.4)

47.0 (12.4)

37.6 (8.8)

37.8 (8.8)

38.3 (8.8)

39.6 (9.2)

40.3 (9.2)

Male (%)

56.2

16.4

29.9

42.0

74.6

84.7

90.7

Current smoker (%)

23.8

4.7

7.7

14.1

30.5

42.5

49.7

High education level (%)c

80.0

62.5

78.9

82.6

82.5

80.0

75.5

HEPA (%)d

16.6

16.5

14.2

15.2

16.8

18.9

20.7

Hypertension (%)

11.8

16.6

6.9

7.8

12.5

17.3

21.7

Diabetes (%)

3.8

5.7

2.5

2.5

3.7

5.4

7.2

History of CVD (%)

13.2

13.5

10.6

12.2

13.5

15.0

16.3

Family history of cancer (%)

27.4

31.3

22.8

26.9

27.5

28.1

29.9

Obesity (%)e

28.2

22.0

20.0

21.4

33.0

39.1

44.7

Body mass index (kg/m2)a

23.3 (3.3)

22.7 (3.3)

22.4 (3.4)

22.6 (3.3)

23.8 (3.2)

24.3 (3.1)

24.8 (3.1)

Systolic BP (mmHg)a

109.6 (13.3)

108.4 (14.0)

104.2 (12.7)

106.8 (12.6)

111.8 (12.6)

114.4 (12.6)

116.4 (12.5)

Diastolic BP (mmHg)a

70.2 (10.0)

68.3 (9.4)

66.8 (9.3)

68.1 (9.4)

71.7 (9.7)

73.9 (10.0)

75.5 (10.0)

Glucose (mg/dL)a

95.4 (15.1)

95.5 (16.4)

92.3 (13.4)

93.5 (13.0)

96.1 (15.0)

98.5 (17.2)

100.7 (18.9)

Total cholesterol (mg/dL)a

193.9 (34.4)

195.6 (35.7)

189.6 (33.6)

190.5 (33.5)

195.8 (34.1)

198.8 (34.5)

201.1 (35.6)

LDL-C (mg/dL)a

119.7 (32.1)

121.6 (33.1)

114.0 (30.9)

116.9 (31.4)

122.6 (32.1)

124.2 (32.4)

124.5 (33.0)

HDL-C (mg/dL)a

58.5 (15.2)

60.0 (15.0)

60.4 (15.0)

59.9 (15.0)

56.6 (15.0)

56.2 (14.9)

56.5 (15.0)

Triglycerides (mg/dL)b

91 (64–136)

84 (61–119)

77 (57–111)

81 (59–117)

99 (69–146)

112 (77–165)

123 (85–182)

AST (U/L)b

20 (16–25)

19 (16–24)

18 (16–22)

19 (16–23)

20 (17–25)

22 (18–27)

23 (19–29)

ALT (U/L)b

18 (13–27)

16 (12–22)

15 (11–22)

16 (12–24)

20 (14–30)

22 (16–33)

24 (17–35)

GGT (U/L)b

21 (13–36)

15 (11–22)

15 (11–23)

16 (12–26)

25 (16–40)

32 (21–54)

43 (26–74)

hsCRP (mg/L)b

0.4 (0.2–0.9)

0.4 (0.2–0.9)

0.4 (0.2–0.9)

0.4 (0.2–0.8)

0.5 (0.2–1.0)

0.5 (0.3–1.0)

0.5 (0.3–1.1)

HOMA-IRb

1.18 (0.78–1.77)

1.15 (0.75–1.73)

1.13 (0.75–1.67)

1.13 (0.75–1.68)

1.21 (0.8–1.82)

1.26 (0.83–1.89)

1.31 (0.85–1.99)

Total calorie intake (kcal/day)b,f

1553.7 (1197.9–1949.4)

1468.8 (1118.3–1843.4)

1458.6 (1086.5–1861.2)

1521.4 (1169.6–1903.9)

1581.2 (1242.3–1972.4)

1619.3 (1269.3–2026.5)

1682.5 (1317.6–2119.6)

  1. Data are expressed as amean (standard deviation), bmedian (interquartile range), or percentage. c ≥ College graduate, dDefined as physical activity that meets either of two criteria: (i) vigorous-intensity activity on three or more days per week accumulating ≥ 1500 metabolic equivalent (MET) min/week; or (ii) seven days of any combination of walking, moderate-intensity, or vigorous-intensity activities achieving at least 3000 MET-min/week; ebody mass index ≥ 25 kg/m2. fAmong 227,464 participants with plausible estimated energy intake levels (within three standard deviations of the log-transformed mean energy intake).
  2. ALT alanine aminotransferase, AST aspartate aminotransferase, BP blood pressure, CVD cardiovascular disease, GGT gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, HDL-C high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, HEPA health-enhancing physically active, hsCRP high sensitivity C-reactive protein, HOMA-IR homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, LDL-C low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.