Alcohol consumption among patients with diabetes: a survey-based cross-sectional study of Danish adults with diabetes

Abstract

Aims: To estimate alcohol consumption among Danish adults with diabetes and to investigate whether certain comorbidities are related to a high alcohol intake. Methods: A total of 162,283 participants responded to the Danish National Health Survey 2013 (questionnaire study, response rate 54.0%). Variables on the participants were extracted from the survey and 6.5% of respondents reported having diabetes. High alcohol consumption was defined as >21 (men) or >14 (women) standard drinks per week. Results: High alcohol consumption was reported by 11.2 % of men and 4.3% of women with diabetes. In the women, this was fewer than among women without diabetes (odds ratio (OR) 0.65, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.56–0.77, p<0.0001). Patients with diabetes had lower ORs for binge drinking (men OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.84–0.97, p=0.0039; women OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.70–0.89, p<0.0001) and lower ORs for having a problematic alcohol intake (men OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.75–0.86, p<0.0001; women OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.49–0.64, p<0.0001) compared with participants without diabetes. A larger proportion of participants with diabetes had not consumed alcohol within the last year (men 13.5%; women 28.2%) compared with participants without diabetes (men 6.0%; women 11.2%). Men with diabetes and a high consumption of alcohol had significantly lower ORs for myocardial infarction (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.40–0.76, p =0.0003) and stroke (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.49–1.00, p=0.0498). Conclusions: This study suggests that Danish patients with diabetes are less prone to exhibit addictive behaviour and many abstain from alcohol. Fewer women with diabetes than without diabetes have an excessive drinking pattern. High alcohol consumption in men with diabetes correlates to a lower occurrence of cardiovascular events.