Table 1

Baseline characteristics of women in the Melbourne collaborative cohort study. Values are numbers (percentages) unless stated otherwise

Folic acid (µg/day)
Alcohol consumptionMean (SD)<270*270-360*>360*Total
Abstainers†333 (131)1827 (32)1733 (30)1911 (32)5471 (31)
Ex-drinkers‡333 (133)189 (3)165 (3)198 (3)552 (3)
1-19 g/day330 (123)2918 (51)3067 (53)3121 (53)9106 (52)
20-39 g/day324 (110)602 (10)610 (11)568 (10)1780 (10)
≥40 g/day302 (105)222 (4)182 (3)134 (2)538 (3)

  • ↵* Thirds of distribution of folate intake.

  • ↵† Women who never drank at least 12 alcoholic drinks in a year.

  • ↵‡ Women who drank at least 12 alcoholic drinks in a year, but did not drink at baseline.