Alcohol Consumption and Mortality among Women

Background. Studies in men suggest that light-to-moderate alcohol intake is associated with a re- duction in overall mortality, due primarily to a reduced risk of coronary heart disease. Among women with similar lev- els of alcohol consumption, an increased risk of breast cancer has been noted that complicates the balance of risks and benefits. Methods. We conducted a prospective study among 85,709 women, 34 to 59 years of age and without a his- tory of myocardial infarction, angina, stroke, or cancer, who completed a dietary questionnaire in 1980. During the 12-year follow-up period, 2658 deaths were docu- mented. Results. The relative risks of death in drinkers as com- pared with nondrinkers were 0.83 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.74 to 0.93) for women who consumed 1.5 to 4.9 g of alcohol per day (one to three drinks per week), 0.88 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.80 to 0.98) for those who consumed 5.0 to 29.9 g per day, and 1.19 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.02 to 1.38) for those who consumed 30 g or more per day, after adjustment for other predictors of mortality. Light-to-moderate drinking (1.5 to 29.9 g per day) was associated with a decreased risk of death from cardiovascular disease; heavier drinking was associated with an increased risk of death from other causes, particularly breast cancer and cirrhosis. The ben- efit associated with light-to-moderate drinking was most apparent among women with risk factors for coronary heart disease and those 50 years of age or older. Conclusions. Among women, light-to-moderate alco- hol consumption is associated with a reduced mortality rate, but this apparent survival benefit appears largely confined to women at greater risk for coronary heart dis- ease. (N Engl J Med 1995;332:1245-50.)