Because a significant effect of chronic binge alcohol treatment was observed on final post-treatment weight gain compared to control animals, we performed multiple regression analysis to determine the relative contributions of body weight versus treatment condition (i.e. binge alcohol) on the significant effects observed in the dependent variables we studied (BMD, strength). This analysis revealed that post-treatment weight accounted for only an adjusted 1% of the variance in vertebral traebecular BMD and was not statistically significant, F (1,21) = 1.22, p = 0.282. Treatment group however, accounted for an additional 39% of the variance and was significant, F (3,18) = 5.50, p = 0.007. Likewise, post-treatment weight accounted for none of the variance in vertebral compression strength and treatment group accounted for 25% of the variance observed F (3,16) = 3.10, p = 0.05.
