Alcohol consumption in 0.5 million people from 10 diverse regions of China: prevalence, patterns and socio-demographic and health-related correlates

Abstract

Background: Drinking alcohol has a long tradition in Chinese culture. However, data on the prevalence and patterns of alcohol consumption in China, and its main correlates, are limited.

Methods: During 2004-08 the China Kadoorie Biobank recruited 512,891 men and women aged 30-79 years from 10 urban and rural areas of China. Detailed information on alcohol consumption was collected using a standardized questionnaire, and related to socio-demographic, physical and behavioural characteristics in men and women separately.

Results: Overall, 76% of men and 36% of women reported drinking some alcohol during the past 12 months, with 33% of men and 2% of women drinking at least weekly; the prevalence of weekly drinking in men varied from 7% to 51% across the 10 study areas. Mean consumption was 286 g/week and was higher in those with less education. Most weekly drinkers habitually drank spirits, although this varied by area, and beer consumption was highest among younger drinkers; 37% of male weekly drinkers (12% of all men) reported weekly heavy drinking episodes, with the prevalence highest in younger men. Drinking alcohol was positively correlated with regular smoking, blood pressure and heart rate. Among male weekly drinkers, each 20 g/day alcohol consumed was associated with 2 mmHg higher systolic blood pressure. Potential indicators of problem drinking were reported by 24% of male weekly drinkers.

Conclusion: The prevalence and patterns of drinking in China differ greatly by age, sex and geographical region. Alcohol consumption is associated with a number of unfavourable health behaviours and characteristics.

Keywords: Alcohol; China; cohort study; descriptive analysis; drinking.

Figure 1

Prevalence of drinking and amount and type of alcohol drunk among men, in the 10 study areas. Prevalence estimates and mean amount drunk are adjusted for age. The shaded areas in (b) represent the proportion (%) of drinkers in each area consuming each type of alcohol (*only one type was reported for each drinker). Areas are ordered by prevalence of ever weekly drinking. U, urban; R, rural

Figure 2

Drinking patterns in 69 904 male weekly drinkers, by age group. The prevalence in weekly drinkers in urban and rural regions of: (a) drinking heavily (>60 g in one session) at least once a week; (b) drinking heavily on special occasions; (c) drinking daily or almost every day; (d) drinking usually with meals; (e) drinking spirits; (f) drinking beer. Values are plotted at the mean age of each 10-year age group. Error bars are 95% confidence intervals. The circle area is proportional to the sample size