[Regional differences in patterns of alcohol consumption: findings from the China Kadoorie Biobank study on half a million people from 10 regions].

OBJECTIVE: To describe the regional differences on patterns of alcohol consumption across 10 study in the China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB) areas involving half a million adults. METHODS: The baseline survey of CKB took place in 5 urban and 5 rural areas across China during 2004-2008. Detailed information on alcohol consumption of 512 891 participants aged 30-79 years was gathered and analyzed. RESULTS: were directly standardized on age (in 10-age groups) and education (5 groups) structure of the study population for different sex. RESULTS: The overall prevalence rates of regular drinking (i.e., at least weekly) were 33.1% among men and 2.2% among women. Among men, the prevalence rate was seen highest in Harbin (52.0%) and Sichuan (50.2%), but lowest in Gansu (8.1%) and Haikou (18.8%). Most regular drinkers in Sichuan, Hunan, and Gansu habitually drank strong spirits (≥ 40% alcohol content), whereas beer was most commonly consumed in Harbin and Qingdao, with rice wine most commonly used in the southern regions (Haikou, Suzhou,Zhejiang and Liuzhou). Mean alcohol consumption was highest in Sichuan (414.6 g/week). Although the mean alcohol consumptions appeared lower on regular occasion in Gansu (195.2 g/week) and Henan (239.6 g/week) than in other regions, the amount consumed on special occasions in these two regions were the highest (Henan:202.3 g/day; Gansu:171.2 g/day). Similar patterns were also seen in women. Of all the regular drinkers, 82.6% of men and 56.6% of women reported heavy drinking episodes (men: >60 g, women: >40 g) on special occasions. CONCLUSION: The patterns of alcohol consumption including prevalence, frequency, amount, binge drinking pattern, and type of alcohol beverage varied greatly among the ten areas of CKB under study