Drinking severity and its association with nutrition risk among African American women

This analysis examined the association between drinking severity, food insecurity, and drinking related health comorbidities among 258 African American women who drank heavily from the "Sister to Sister" study. Women were stratified by drinking status: 23% were heavy drinkers (women who drank 30 to 52 weeks in the 12 months prior to study participation and consumed the equivalent of at least 20 alcoholic beverages at one sitting) and 77% were less heavy drinkers (women with all other combinations of drinking habits who drank less than 30 weeks in the 12 months prior to study participation). Heavy drinkers were more likely to not check nutrition labels, skip meals to buy drugs/alcohol, and report a history of stomach disease, diabetes, memory, weight, and kidney problems compared with less heavy drinkers. The heavy drinkers were at increased nutrition risk due to food insecurities and were more susceptible to drinking related health comorbidities compared with less heavy drinkers.