The TLFB is a calendar-based interview in which subjects provide retrospective estimates of their daily alcohol consumption over a period of time prior to the interview (Sobell and Sobell, 1995). The interview was performed as described in more detail elsewhere (Aalto et al., 2009).The interviewers converted subjects' reported alcohol consumption volume into units of Finnish standard drinks. Heavy drinking can be generally considered as having a weekly average consumption of at least 14 Finnish standard drinks (one drink equivalent to 12 g of absolute alcohol) in the TLFB interview during the previous month. In the FINRISK population 166 (7.2%) individuals were classifiable as heavy drinkers according to these criteria. In the current study TLFB scores were analyzed as continuous measures.
