Alcoholic beverage preference and diet in the Netherlands

Background and objectives: The habitual consumption of a specific type of alcoholic beverage may be related to the overall dietary pattern. This cross-sectional study investigated associations between alcoholic beverage preference and diet in the Netherlands. Methods: 2, 100 men and women from the Dutch National Food Consumption Survey 2007 – 2010 were studied. A general questionnaire assessed alcoholic beverage preference and two non-consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls assessed overall diet. Across categories of alcoholic beverage preference, mean nutrient and food group intakes, adherence to meal patterns and the Dutch Healthy Diet-Index, a measure of adherence to the 2006 Dutch Guidelines for a Healthy Diet, were calculated using generalized linear models. Adjustments were made for age, sex, education, smoking status, physical activity, energy intake, absolute alcohol consumption, and frequency of alcohol consumption. Results: Although the majority of the population had no specific beverage preference (28%) or were non-consumers (30%), most contrasts were detected between persons who preferred wine (20%) and those who preferred beer (18%). Persons who preferred beer had higher absolute intakes of macro- and micronutrients, but also higher intakes of meat, margarine, deep frying fats, and snacks. Moreover, they displayed unhealthier meal patterns. Those who preferred wine had higher absolute intakes of vegetables, fruit, yogurt, and tea and adhered most to the Dutch Guidelines for a Healthy Diet. Conclusions: Alcoholic beverage preference was associated with specific dietary habits in the Netherlands. As in other Northern-European countries, it was seen that persons with a beer preference displayed less healthy dietary behaviour, especially compared to those who preferred wine.