Association between alcohol consumption characteristics and anxiety : A gender perspective for Korean adults

Abstract

Abstract Background Studies have examined the association of alcohol consumption characteristics with depression, but few studies explored their association with anxiety. This study investigated the association of alcohol consumption characteristics such as drinking frequency, drinks per occasion, and alcohol flushing with anxiety in South Korea. Methods Using data from the 2021 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (3509 participants aged 19 years and older), we identified alcohol flushing in individuals when their faces turned red after one glass of beer. Drinking frequency and drinks per occasion were categorized by the Korean Alcohol Guidelines. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder − 7 score of 5 or more indicated anxiety. A multivariable logistic regression performed separately by gender determined the relationship between alcohol consumption and anxiety. Results Alcohol flushing and anxiety symptoms were found associated only for women drinkers (Odd Ratio (OR):1.30, 95% Confidence Interval (CI):1.00–1.69, p = 0.047). Women consuming ≥ 3 drinks per occasion showed higher anxiety symptoms than light drinkers (OR: 1.38, 95% CI: 1.06–1.79, p = 0.017). Both men and women who consumed alcohol more than four times a week showed increased odds of anxiety symptoms (OR: 1.87, 95% CI: 1.23–2.84, p = 0.003; OR: 2.42, 95% CI: 1.32–4.43, p = 0.004, respectively). Conclusion The study found key drinking characteristics such as alcohol flushing and drinks per occasion associated with anxiety symptoms only for women, emphasizing the need for tailoring anxiety detection and prevention by gender and drinking pattern.