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Aims: To examine if (1) there is a positive association between drinking volume in young men and life‐time risk of alcohol dependence (AD) and (2) there are other associations between young adulthood factors and life‐time risk of AD. Design Prospective cohort study of sons of fathers with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and matched low‐risk controls without paternal AUD. Setting and participants A total of 204 men, who were assessed at baseline in 1979 at age 19–20 years, were followed through record linkage with Danish registers and consecutive psychiatric interviews at the ages of 33, 43 and 53 years. Measurements AD diagnoses were interview‐based according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 3rd edition, or made by treating clinicians according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) revision 8 (ICD‐8) until 1993 and revision 10 (ICD‐10) from 1994.We estimated odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the development of AD after adjustment for confounders including smoking, social status and paternal AUD. Findings The following variables from the examination at age 19–20 independently predicted life‐time AD: alcohol consumption > 21 beverages/week versus 0–21 [odds ratio (OR) = 2.46, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.22–4.97], police contact (OR = 2.60, 95% CI = 1.28–5.28) and institutionalization related to the individual (OR = 2.90, 95% CI = 1.39–6.02). Compared with < 1 beverages/week, the risk for AD did not increase significantly for drinking volume categories: 1–7, 8–14 or 15–21 beverages/week. Conclusion: Independently of other risk factors in young adulthood, young Danish men's risk for life‐time alcohol dependence appears to be predicted by a drinking volume at age 19–20 years exceeding 21 beverages per week. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To estimate associations of individual major life events as well as accumulated major life events in childhood, adult private life and adult work life with risk of alcohol use disorders (AUD). Design Prospective cohort study with baseline examination in 1991-93 and linkage to national registers to identify AUD at follow-up. Setting Copenhagen, Denmark. Participants Individuals (aged 21-93 years) who participated in the Copenhagen City Heart Study in 1991-93 ( n = 8758). Measurements The primary outcome was first registration with AUD during follow-up ( n = 249). AUD was identified in the Danish National Patient Register, in the Danish Psychiatric Central Register and in an outpatient treatment register. Major life events were assessed by a questionnaire in the Copenhagen City Heart study. Data were analysed by Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for age, sex, educational level, household income, cohabitation status and psychiatric comorbidity. Findings Serious family conflicts in childhood [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.35; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.00, 1.83] and serious economic problems in adult life (HR = 2.22; 95% CI = 1.64, 3.01) were associated significantly with increased risk of AUD. Prospective analyses did not show consistent effects of accumulation of major life events in childhood or adult life, but an additional analysis based on all AUD registrations suggested an association between accumulated childhood events and risk of AUD. Conclusions Serious economic problems in adult life are associated strongly with risk of alcohol use disorders, and there may be an influence of accumulated childhood events on risk of alcohol use disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]