1. ¹Centre for Epidemiological Studies and Clinical Trials, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Institute of Hypertension, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai, China
2. ²Study Coordinating Centre, Hypertension and Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Unit, Department of Molecular and Cardiovascular Research, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

Correspondence: Dr. Ding-Liang Zhu, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Institute of Hypertension, Ruijin 2nd Road 197, Shanghai 200025, China E-mail: zhudingLiang@sibs.ac.cn

^*The Ministry of Science and Technology, Beijing, China provided research grants (2001AA227061 and 2002BA711A05). The Bilateral Scientific and Technical Collaboration between Flanders and China (Ministry of the Flemish Community, Brussels, Belgium) supported Dr. Yan Li's postdoctoral fellowship in Belgium and travel of Dr. Jan A. Staessen to China (grant BIL02/10).

Received 30 May 2005; Revised 23 August 2005; Accepted 24 August 2005.

Abstract

Background: Blood pressure (BP) increases with body mass index (BMI) and excessive alcohol intake. Few epidemiologic studies explored the interaction between BMI and alcohol intake in relation to BP.

Methods: We randomly selected 10 villages with a mixed population of HAN and SHE Chinese in the JingNing County in Southeast China. We measured BP, anthropometric characteristics, and alcohol intake in 1688 participants. Our statistical methods included single and multiple linear and logistic regressions.

Results: HAN (n = 520) and SHE (n = 1168) had a similar sex and age distribution. SHE Chinese, compared with HAN, had a higher BP (128.0/79.7 v 121.5/76.9 mm Hg, P < .001), and more frequently reported alcohol intake (45.0% v 27.7%; P < .001), but showed lower BMI (22.2 v 22.5 kg/m²; P = .05) and waist-to-hip ratio (0.83 v 0.87; P < .001). In SHE, but not HAN, there was a significant interaction (P < .01) between BMI and alcohol intake in relation to BP. In SHE with BMI < 25 kg/m², BP was significantly higher in drinkers than nondrinkers (129.4/80.2 v 124.2/77.4 mm Hg, P < .001), whereas among SHE with BMI 25 kg/m², BP was not associated with alcohol intake (134.3/84.9 v 136.8/85.7 mm Hg, P > .41). Accordingly, in SHE Chinese, the slope of BP associated with BMI was less steep (P < .01) in drinkers than nondrinkers.

Conclusions: Among SHE Chinese, alcohol intake and BMI interactively influenced BP. Further research is required to elucidate the underlying mechanism.