Type of alcoholic beverage and high-risk drinking: how risky is beer drinking in Korea?

To examine the association of beverage type with high-risk drinking in Korea.

Data were analysed from the Korea's 1997 behavioural risk factor surveillance system survey collected by a stratified random sampling method (n = 1045). After alcohol consumption per drinking day was categorized into three risk levels for short-term or 'acute' harm on the basis of the World Health Organization's guidelines, logistic regression analysis adjusting for socio-demographic factors was performed for each beverage type.

Using beer drinkers as the reference, those who drank soju (the most widely consumed traditional beverage in Korea) showed an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 3.62 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.28-5.76] for high and very high risk from drinking and those who drank spirits had adjusted OR of 10.65 (95%CI = 4.32-26.27).

In Korea, unlike in many western countries, beer is not the highest risk beverage. The relatively high price of beer in Korea is likely to be one influence. It is concluded that country-specific differences are important in studies on associations between alcoholic beverage types and high risk drinking.