Moderate Wine Consumption Inhibits the Development of the Metabolic Syndrome: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN)

Abstract

We investigated the relationship between wine consumption and the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in a longitudinal, eight-year study of the natural history of the menopause transition at seven geographical sites in the United States. Although similar in age, the 527 African American women had a worse metabolic profile than 1057 Caucasian women. Moderate wine consumption (one glass/day) was less common among African American women but was associated with a better lipid profile in both ethnic groups. Compared to women who drank one glass of wine per day, those who consumed no wine had twice the risk of developing the MetS.

Acknowledgements

The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) has grant support from the National Institutes of Health, DHHS, through the National Institute on Aging, the National Institute of Nursing Research and the NIH Office of Research on Women's Health (Grants NR004061; AG012505, AG012535, AG012531, AG012539, AG012546, AG012553, AG012554, AG012495). The content of this paper is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIA, NINR, ORWH or the NIH.