Relationship between bone mineral density and alcohol consumption in Korean men: the Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), 2008-2009

Abstract

Background and objectives: Drinking is a risk factor of osteoporosis, but controversy surrounds the relationship between alcohol consumption and bone mineral density (BMD). We performed an analysis of the association between alcohol consumption and BMD.

Methods and study design: A cross-sectional study was performed including 2421 men, aged 40-93 years, who participated in the fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2008-2009. Alcohol intake was determined by self-administered questionnaires, and BMD was measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. ANOVA was used to determine the relationship between alcohol intake and BMD, and ANCOVA was performed after adjusting for age, body mass index, education, household income, smoking status, calcium intake, physical activity, and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels.

Results: BMD increased significantly in the lumbar spine, total femur, and femoral neck with increased alcohol intake (p for trend=0.028, <0.001, <0.001, respectively). However, after adjusting for age, the relation was no longer statistically significant in any of 3 bone sites (lumbar, p for trend=0.606; total femur, p for trend=0.342; femoral neck, p for trend=0.549). Additionally, after adjusting for all other confounders, no significant relationships were reported in the 3 bone sites (lumbar, p for trend=0.451; total femur, p for trend=0.150; femoral neck, p for trend=0.343). In the stratified analysis, there were no significant correlations according to age, smoking status, physical activity or obesity.

Conclusions: After adjusting for age and other confounders, no significant relationship was found between alcohol intake and BMD.