BACKGROUND: This study investigated whether there is any difference in drinking amount associated with abnormal expression of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), one of the biological markers of excessive drinking, between flushing and non-flushing women after drinking METHODS: The subjects were 797 women aged 20-59 years old who visited health promotion center of Chungnam National University Hospital between January, 2013 and July, 2014. Facial flushing status after drinking, amount of alcohol consumed per drinking episode, and the number of drinking days per week were assessed using a questionnaire. Age, abnormal GGT expression, smoking status, menopauase status, and body mass index (BMI) were obtained from the health screening data. The weekly drinking amount were categorized into <4 drinks; > or =4, <8 drinks; and > or =8 drinks. The association of abnormal GGT expression with weekly drinking amount was analyzed using multivariate logistic regression after controlling for confounding variables including age, smoking status, menopauase status, and BMI. RESULTS: Compared to nondrinkers, the abnormal GGT expression in the non-flushing group was significantly increased when the weekly drinking amount was > or =4 drinks (> or =4, <8 drinks: adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 37.568; 95% confidence interval [CI], 9.793-144.116; > or =8 drinks: aOR, 20.350; 95% CI, 20.350-305.138). On the other hand, the abnormal GGT expression in the flushing group was significantly increased in every weekly drinking amount range (<4 drinks: aOR, 4.120; 95% CI, 1.603-10.585; > or =4, <8 drinks: aOR, 79.206; 95% CI, 24.034-261.031; > or =8 drinks: aOR, 111.342; 95% CI, 30.987-400.079). For each weekly drinking amount range, the flushing group showed significantly higher abnormal GGT expression than the non-flushing group (<4 drinks: aOR, 3.867; 95% CI, 1.786-8.374; > or =4, <8 drinks: aOR, 57.277; 95% CI, 24.430-134.285; > or =8 drinks: aOR, 104.871; 95% CI, 42.945-256.091). CONCLUSION: This study showed that abnormal GGT expression in the flushing female drinkers was induced by smaller amounts of alcohol than in the non-flushing female drinkers.
Biomarkers ; Body Mass Index ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Confounding Factors (Epidemiology) ; Drinking* ; Female ; Flushing ; gamma-Glutamyltransferase* ; Hand ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Mass Screening ; Odds Ratio ; Smoke ; Smoking

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to examine the relationship between alcohol consumption and obesity according to facial flushing in Korean males. METHODS: The 1,198 men in this study were divided into four groups according to the amount of alcohol they consumed: non-drinkers (ND), lower moderate drinkers (LM, < or =7 standard drinks per week), higher moderate drinkers (HM, 7 to 14 drinks per week), and heavy drinkers (HD, >14 drinks per week). They were also separated into two groups according to facial flushing: non-flushers and flushers. Obesity and abdominal obesity were defined as body mass index of 25 kg/m2 or higher and waist circumference of 90 cm or higher, respectively. RESULTS: In LM and HM groups without flushing, the risks of obesity and abdominal obesity were not significantly increased compared to those of non-drinkers. However, in the HD group without flushing, those risks were significantly increased [OR, 1.55; confidence interval (CI), 1.01 to 2.40, and OR 1.63; CI 1.02 to 2.58, respectively]. In the LM group with flushing, those risks were not significantly increased. However, in HM and HD groups with flushing, the risks of obesity and abdominal obesity were significantly increased (OR, 2.10; CI, 1.07 to 4.16, and OR, 2.06; CI, 1.05 to 4.06, respectively, in HM; and OR, 2.16; CI, 1.08 to 4.34, and OR, 2.50; CI, 1.26 to 4.98, respectively, in HD). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the risk of obesity is increased in moderate flushing drinkers compared to non-drinkers and in heavy non-flushing drinkers.
Alcohol Drinking ; Body Mass Index ; Flushing ; Humans ; Male ; Obesity ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Waist Circumference