Table 1 Characteristics of the study participants by alcohol intake (n = 1702)

Age, years

69.2 ± 7.4

69.3 ± 7.0

67.8 ± 7.0*

67.4 ± 6.6*

Body mass index, kg/m²

23.4 ± 3.5

23.5 ± 3.6

23.4 ± 3.1

23.8 ± 3.5

Waist circumference, cm

80.5 ± 9.4

81.2 ± 9.8

81.4 ± 9.7

81.9 ± 10.0

Central obesity, n (%)

150 (17.8)

48 (19.9)

45 (18.7)

88 (23.3)*

Systolic blood pressure, mmHg

136.7 ± 19.6

135.7 ± 19.6

138.7 ± 19.4

142.9 ± 19.8*

Diastolic blood pressure, mmHg

80.5 ± 10.8

80.2 ± 10.5

82.2 ± 11.2

83.9 ± 11.0*

Pulse rate, beats/min

74.9 ± 11.8

74.6 ± 12.4

74.3 ± 12.1

74.0 ± 11.8

Fasting plasma glucose, mmol/l

5.24 ± 1.09

5.31 ± 1.09

5.19 ± 0.74

5.36 ± 1.15

Serum total cholesterol, mmol/l

5.38 ± 1.42

5.52 ± 1.42

5.47 ± 1.35

5.55 ± 1.46

Serum triglycerides, mmol/l

1.55 (1.17–1.70)

1.56 (1.16–1.72)

1.55 (1.10–1.72)

1.58 (1.14–1.83)

Current smoking, n (%)

413 (49.0)

109 (45.2)

146 (60.6)*

256 (67.9)*

Hypertension, n (%)

480 (56.9)

159 (66.0)*

154 (63.9)*

239 (63.4)*

Use of antihypertensive drugs, n (%)

318 (37.7)

131 (54.4)*

90 (37.3)

123 (32.6)*

Diabetes mellitus, n (%)

67 (8.0)

22 (9.1)

12 (5.0)

29 (7.7)