Regional differences in stroke mortality and alcohol consumption in Japan.

The relationship between alcohol consumption and stroke mortality in 1975 in 46 prefectures of Japan was investigated. This was done by adjusting salt intake and several socio-economic factors, i.e., the annual per capita income, the number of persons who received public aid, the number of tatamis (a Japanese traditional floor unit) per household, the unemployment rate, and the unmarried or divorce rate, using a stepwise multiple regression analysis. As dependent variables, the sex-specific and age-adjusted mortality for the middle-aged (35-59 years) and for all ages due to stroke were used. For men, alcohol consumption was significantly related to age-adjusted stroke mortalities for the middle-aged and for all ages independent of salt intake and several socio-economic factors. Alcohol consumption was more strongly related to age-adjusted stroke mortality for the middle-aged than for all ages. For women alcohol was weakly correlated with the stroke mortality of the middle-aged. Salt intake was significant...