• Ulla Toft, Charlotta Pisinger, Mette Aadahl, Cathrine Lau, Allan Linneberg, Steen Ladelund, Lis Kristoffersen, and Torben Jørgensen.
• Research Centre for Prevention and Health, Glostrup University Hospital, Building 84/85, DK-2600 Glostrup, Denmark. ulto@glo.regionh.dk
• Prev Med. 2009 Aug 1; 49 (2-3): 115-21.

PurposeTo investigate the effect of screening and five years of multi-factorial lifestyle intervention on changes in alcohol intake in a general population.MethodsThe study was a pre-randomized intervention study on lifestyle, Inter99 (1999-2006), Copenhagen, Denmark. Participants in the intervention group (n=6 091) had at baseline a medical health examination and a face-to-face lifestyle counselling. Individuals at high risk of ischemic heart disease were repeatedly offered both individual and group-based counselling. The control group (n=3 324) was followed by questionnaires. Alcohol intake was measured by questionnaires. Changes were analysed by multilevel analyses.ResultsBinge drinking decreased both in men and women at three and five-year follow-ups (men: five-year: net-change:-0.13; p=0.03; women: five-year: net-change:-0.08; p=0.04). Furthermore, in women the ratio between wine and total alcohol was increased compared with the control group at five-year follow-up (net-change: 0.04; p<0.01). In men with a high intake of alcohol (>21 drinks per week) the effect on total alcohol intake was maintained at five-year follow-up (net-change: -3.7; p=0.01). No significant effects were found in women on total alcohol intake.ConclusionMulti-factorial lifestyle intervention, including low intensity alcohol intervention, improved long-term alcohol habits in a general population.

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