Heavy Alcohol Consumption may lead to increased risk of Obesity and T2 Diabetes

Canada: New research revealed that increased consumption of alcohol can lead to increased levels of obesity and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. There are no protective effects on obesity and diabetes even with modest consumption of alcohol. The study was published in The Journal of Endocrinology & Metabolism. 

Alcohol consumption on a social level is common among the general population. Alcohol consumption among diabetics has worsened prognosis due to its effects on blood sugar and insulin levels. Literature shows that occasional consumption of alcohol may have beneficial effects. But Regular consumption of even moderate amounts of alcohol can have adverse effects as it alters blood sugar levels, increasing the risk of impotence, peripheral neuropathy, and retinopathy. As there is uncertainty on the amount of alcohol consumption and its effects, researchers from Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Canada conducted a Mendelian randomization study to evaluate the dose-dependent effect of alcohol consumption on obesity and type 2 diabetes. 

Nearly 4,08,540 participants of European ancestry in the UK Biobank were tested for the association between self-reported alcohol intake frequency and ten anthropometric measurements, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. MR analyses were conducted in the overall population and subpopulations stratified by alcohol intake frequency. 

Key Findings: 

• There was a 0.36-kg increase in fat mass, a 1.08-fold increased odds of obesity, and a 1.10-fold increased odds of type 2 diabetes with a 1-drink-per-week increase in genetically predicted alcohol intake among individuals having more than 14 drinks per week. 
• The female gender showed stronger positive associations than men.
• MR estimates did not find any evidence supporting the association between genetically increased alcohol intake frequency and improved health outcomes among individuals having 7 or fewer drinks per week, as MR estimates largely overlapped with the null.
• These results withstood multiple sensitivity analyses assessing the validity of MR assumptions. 

Thus, the MR analyses suggested that alcohol consumption of any level increased the risk of obesity and diabetes. 

Further reading: Dose-dependent Association of Alcohol Consumption With Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes: Mendelian Randomization Analyses. https://doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgad324