OBJECTIVE: To identify the influence of alcohol intake on body adiposity of female college students. METHODS: Female students attending the Nutrition College Course of Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto (MG, Brazil) were the subjects of a transversal study. The pattern of alcohol consumption was evaluated by using the AUDIT questionnaire and the adiposity was evaluated by body mass index, percentage body fat, waist circumference, arm circumference, triceps skin-fold thickness and waist-to-hip ratio. RESULTS: Alcohol consumption was reported by 141 students. Among them, harmful alcohol use (AUDIT > 8) was reported by 56% (n = 79). Mean values of percentage body fat, waist circumference and triceps skin-fold thickness were higher among students who reported any alcohol consumption (p < 0.05). Values of arm circumference and triceps skin-fold thickness were increased among those with a drinking problem. There was a positive association between AUDIT scores and parameters of body adiposity (percentage body fat, r = 0.20; p = 0.03); abdominal adiposity (waist circumference, r = 0.29; p = 0.01) and peripheral adiposity (arm circum-ference, r = 0.28; p = 0.02, and triceps skin-fold thickness, r = 0.23; p = 0.07). CONCLUSION: Alcohol consumption may have increased the body adiposity among students reporting alcohol intake. Peripheral adiposity was higher among those in which this intake was harmful.
Alcoholism; body composition; nutritional assessment
