Even light alcohol consumption linked to risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome

Compared with non-drinkers, men who drank on average between half and one standard drink a day (7.1-14g alcohol) were around 10% more likely to have obesity and metabolic syndrome, while consuming up to two drinks a day (14.1-24g alcohol) was associated with 22% and 25% greater odds, respectively. The highest risk was seen in men who drank more than two drinks or 24g alcohol per day, with 34% higher odds of obesity and 42% greater odds of metabolic syndrome.

Similarly, women who consumed a higher quantity of alcohol were more likely to have obesity and metabolic syndrome. Consuming on average between half and one drink a day was associated with 9% higher odds of obesity, but 3% reduced odds of metabolic syndrome compared to non-drinkers. Women who reported drinking on average more than two drinks or 24g of alcohol per day, had 22% and 18% higher odds of obesity of metabolic syndrome respectively.

The authors conclude: "Our results suggest that the risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome increases in proportion to alcohol consumption when male and female adults drink more than half a standard drink per day."

The study is observational so cannot establish cause, and there's a possibility that some of the results may be due to unmeasured (confounding) factors. In addition, the study only measured who had obesity or metabolic syndrome and how much they drank at one moment in time, and was conducted in South Korea, which could limit the generalisability of the findings to other populations.