Alcohol consumption by diabetics in Germany

Sabine Tiepolt, Petra Sowa, Klaus Pietrzik, Monika Toeller, Duesseldorf, Bonn

Aims: The present study was to inform about alcohol consumption in 1 988 persons with diabetes who had been recruited in 18 centres of Germany in the year 2000, and to reveal potential differences in the daily dietary intakes and other characteristics between those regularly taking alcoholic drinks and those never or rarely drinking alcohol.

Methods: A standardized questionnaire was used to assess demographic data, risk factors and medication of the patients. Intakes of alcoholic drinks, i.e. of beer, wine and spirits, as well as daily food intakes were evaluated by employing a validated food frequency questionnaire.

Results: 16 % of the persons with diabetes reported to regularly consume alcoholic drinks (3-6 times/week, once/day or several times/day) while 38 % (25 % male, 50 % female) reported no or very little (less than once/month) alcohol intake. Total alcohol intake was significantly higher in men than in women (7.7 g/day vs. 2.8 g/day, p < 0.0001). The non-diabetic German population, according to the 1998 National Health Survey, consumed more alcohol than the diabetic subgroup of the survey (males: 11.6 vs. 9.3 g alcohol/day, females: 5.3 vs. 2.9 g alcohol/day) and the persons with diabetes included in the present study. Persons with diabetes regularly drinking alcohol have been found to consume less frequently vegetables, salads, fruit, whole-meal bread and margarine, but more often butter, sausages, fast food, chocolate and chips. Those who preferred wine ate more frequently whole-meal bread, cheese, fruit and low-fat food than those who preferred beer. The upper limit of alcohol intake per day, according to the recommendations of the German Diabetes Association, was exceeded by 4.8 % of the female and 2.3% of the male persons with diabetes.

Conclusions: It is supposed that about 3.6 % of the persons with diabetes regularly exceed the upper limit of admissible alcohol intake. Compared with those who never or rarely drink alcohol, the diet of regular drinkers contains less carbohydrates and dietary fibre, but more fat. Persons with diabetes who prefer wine show a more favourable dietary pattern than those who prefer beer. Alcohol consumption by persons with diabetes is lower than in the non-diabetic population.

Keywords: alcohol / diabetes / frequency of intake / food / wine / beer

Sie finden den Artikel in deutscher Sprache in Ernährungs-Umschau 09/03 ab Seite 332.