WIDER IMPLICATION S The findings of this review indicate that alcohol consumption , particularly low and moderate alcohol intake , might be associated with later onset of menopause although the magnitude of the association is low .
BACKGROUND Early onset of menopause is associated with long-term health risks , including cardiovascular disease and premature death .
Although alcohol intake has been suggested to affect the age at which natural menopause occurs , results from observational studies are not consistent .
OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE In the view of the differing risks to the health of early menopause and the increasing trends in alcohol consumption in women , in this systematic review , we aim ed to quantify the association between all levels of alcohol consumption and menopause onset .
The epidemiology of alcohol use in Australian women: findings from a national survey of women's drinking.
This is the first study of alcohol use , alcohol problems and alcohol dependence in a general population sample of Australian women using a st and ardized screening instrument developed by the World Health Organization , the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test ( AUDIT ) . Sixty-six percent of a sample of 6000 women r and omly selected from the electoral rolls responded to the question naire . The majority of women ( 87 % ) had drunk alcohol at some time in their lives , while 82 % had consumed alcohol within the past 12 months . Of the women who currently drank alcohol , 34 % were classified as hazardous drinkers , 4 % as harmful drinkers and 1 % as dependent according to AUDIT definitions . Using a cut-off score of 8 for the AUDIT , 8 % of women were classified as currently having a drinking pattern of hazardous or harmful alcohol consumption . These women were more likely to be younger ( 17 - 44 years ) , single , or living in a de facto relationship . The results of this survey provide important data which can be used as a bench-mark to measure changes in women 's drinking behaviour and drinking related problems
WIDER IMPLICATION S The findings of this review indicate that alcohol consumption , particularly low and moderate alcohol intake , might be associated with later onset of menopause although the magnitude of the association is low .
BACKGROUND Early onset of menopause is associated with long-term health risks , including cardiovascular disease and premature death .
Although alcohol intake has been suggested to affect the age at which natural menopause occurs , results from observational studies are not consistent .
OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE In the view of the differing risks to the health of early menopause and the increasing trends in alcohol consumption in women , in this systematic review , we aim ed to quantify the association between all levels of alcohol consumption and menopause onset .