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Alcoholic beverage preference and dietary pattern in Spanish university graduates: the SUN cohort study

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 62, pages 1178–1186 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To describe the association between alcohol beverage preference and dietary habits comparing wine drinkers with other alcoholic beverage drinkers and with nondrinkers in Spanish university graduates.

Subjects:

A total of 10 526 men and women, who were recruited using mailed questionnaires, participated in this study.

Methods:

A semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire previously validated in Spain was used together with other questionnaires designed to collect lifestyle characteristics.

Results:

Wine drinkers reported higher intake of fibre and olive oil, and lower consumption of fat (only men), dairy products, sugared soda drinks and fast food as compared with other alcoholic beverage groups and nondrinkers. Men nondrinkers were more likely to be physically active during their leisure time than wine drinkers. No relevant differences were found in adherence to the Mediterranean food pattern according to alcoholic beverage preference.

Conclusion:

This similarity in dietary patterns between wine drinkers and other groups suggests that the positive cardiovascular effects reported for wine should not be attributed to an overall healthier dietary pattern of wine drinkers.

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Acknowledgements

We are indebted to the participants of the SUN Study for their continued cooperation and participation. We gratefully acknowledge the Institute of Altoaragoneses Studies for supporting the present study (23/2005). We also thank the other members of the SUN Study group including Martínez JA, Serrano-Martínez M, Bes-Rastrollo M and Tortosa A from the University of Navarra, Guillen-Grima F from the Public University of Navarra, Delgado-Rodriguez M from the University of Jaen, Llorca J from the University of Cantabria, Smyth E from the University of Santiago de Compostela and Sánchez-Villegas A from the University of Las Palmas. This study was sponsored by Instituto Estudios Altoaragoneses, Navarre Regional Government (PI41/2005) and the Spanish Ministry of Health (Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias, projects PI040233, PI042241, PI050514, PI050976 and RD 06/0045).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Health Sciences and Sports, University of Saragossa, Spain

    M A Alcácera, I Marques-Lopes, M Fajó-Pascual & J Puzo Foncillas

  2. Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Clínica Universitaria, Faculty of Medicine, University of Navarra, Spain

    F Carmona-Torre & M A Martínez-González

Authors
  1. M A Alcácera
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  2. I Marques-Lopes
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  3. M Fajó-Pascual
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  4. J Puzo Foncillas
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  5. F Carmona-Torre
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  6. M A Martínez-González
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to I Marques-Lopes.

Additional information

Guarantor: MA Martínez-González.

Contributors: IM-L, MF-P, JPF and MAM-G were responsible for study design, data collection and analysis and obtaining funding, MAA was responsible for data analysis, drafting the manuscript and study design, FC-T was responsible for literature search and additional data analyses.

Conflict of interest

All authors have reviewed critically and approved the manuscript. None of the authors had any conflict of interest from a financial, personal or professional aspect in relation to the findings of this study.

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Alcácera, M., Marques-Lopes, I., Fajó-Pascual, M. et al. Alcoholic beverage preference and dietary pattern in Spanish university graduates: the SUN cohort study. Eur J Clin Nutr 62, 1178–1186 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602833

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