Alcohol and the Indian physique

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Alcohol and the Indian physique

Drinking good for you? Not if you’re an Indian

Kounteya Sinha

Times of India

New Delhi: Did you think a peg or two would do wonders for your heart? Unfortunately, not if you’re Indian. The largest-ever study to investigate the link between alcohol consumption and heart disease among Indians has made an interesting revelation — even small amounts of alcohol consumption harms Indians.

The study covering 4,400 drinkers and an almost equal number of non-drinkers in 10 cities by doctors from AIIMS, Centre for Chronic Diseases, Public Health Foundation of India and Madras Diabetes Research Foundation has challenged the much touted cardiac benefits of alcohol and warned of potential harm to Indians due to drinking.

The study categorized drinkers in three brackets —heavy drinkers (who consumed more than 28 grams per day), moderate drinkers (14-28 grams per day) and light drinkers (less than 14 grams a day. While light drinkers had a 40% greater risk of CHD compared to non-drinkers, the chances were as high as 60% among moderate drinkers and nearly 100% in heavy drinkers. One drink was equivalent to 14 grams of alcohol (equivalent to 120 ml of wine, 285 ml of beer and 30 ml of spirits).

Dr Ambuj Roy, assistant professor of cardiology at AIIMS, told TOI, “Benefits of moderate alcohol consumption have been found among southern European populations from the Mediterranean region and Caucasians in Europe and North America. However, in Indians, it clearly causes harm just like in African Americans.”

See also

Alcohol: India

Alcohol and the Indian physique

Prohibition: India

Prohibition: Mizoram