Frequently drinking small amounts of alcohol reduce risk of being overweight

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Friday, July 02, 2010 10:27 am Email this article
The more alcohol a person consumes, the more likely they are to be obese, however, for a given level of alcohol intake, people who frequently consume small amounts of alcohol are less likely to be overweight according to a study from researchers at the Centre for Alcohol Research at the National Institute of Public Health in Copenhagen, Denmark. MEN : Drinks per Week vs Risk of Obesity

MEN: The more they drank, the more likely they were to be obese

Men who consumed 7-13 drinks per week were 4 percent more likely to be obese than those who drank 1-6 drinks per week although the difference was not statistically significant.

Men who drank 14-20 drinks per week were 6 percent more likely to be obese than men who drank 1-6 drinks per week.

Men who drank 21-27 drinks per week were 19 percent more likely to be obese than men who drank 1-6 drinks per week.

And men who drank 28 or more drinks per week were 77 percent more likely to be obese than men who drank 1-6 drinks per week.

 

WOMEN : Drinks per Week vs Risk of Obesity

WOMEN: Only those who drank heavily were more likely to be obese

Women who consumed 7 to 27 drinks per week were 6-12 percent less likely to be obese, although the difference was not statistically significant.

Only women who drank heavily, defined as those who consumed 28 or more drinks per week, were more likely to be obese.

Women consuming 28 or more drinks per week were 38 percent more likely to be obese than those who drank 1-6 drinks per week.

 

MEN : Risk of Obesity vs Drinking Frequency

MEN : Binge drinking increases risk of obesity by 90% vs small daily consumption

Compared to men who consumed a small amount of alcohol seven days per week:

• Men who consume the same amount of alcohol, drinking 5-6 days per week are 19 percent more likely to be obese.
• Men who consume the same amount of alcohol, drinking 2-4 days per week are 37 percent more likely to be obese.
• Men who consume the same amount of alcohol, drinking 1 day per week are 60 percent more likely to be obese.
• Men who consume the same amount of alcohol, drinking 1-3 days per month are 90 percent more likely to be obese.

MEN : Small daily consumption reduces risk of obesity by 47% vs binge drinking

Here is how to say the same thing, but in reverse.

Men who consumed small amounts of alcohol seven days per week were:

• 16 percent less likely to be obese compare to men who consumed the same about of alcohol drinking only 5-6 days per week
• 27 percent less likely to be obese compare to men who consumed the same about of alcohol drinking only 2-4 days per week
• 38 percent less likely to be obese compare to men who consumed the same about of alcohol drinking only 1 day per week
• 47 percent less likely to be obese compare to men who consumed the same about of alcohol drinking only 1-3 days per month

 

WOMEN : Risk of Obesity vs Drinking Frequency

WOMEN : Binge drinking increases risk of obesity by 125% vs small daily consumption

Compared to women who consumed a small amount of alcohol seven days per week:

• Women who consume the same amount of alcohol, drinking 5-6 days per week are 14 percent more likely to be obese.
• Women who consume the same amount of alcohol, drinking 2-4 days per week are 65 percent more likely to be obese.
• Women who consume the same amount of alcohol, drinking 1 day per week are 96 percent more likely to be obese.
• Women who consume the same amount of alcohol, drinking 1-3 days per month are 125 percent more likely, that is, 2.25 times more likely to be obese.

WOMEN : Small daily consumption reduces risk of obesity by 56% vs binge drinking

Here is how to say the same thing, but in reverse.

Women who consumed small amounts of alcohol seven days per week were:

• 12 percent less likely to be obese compare to men who consumed the same about of alcohol drinking only 5-6 days per week
• 39 percent less likely to be obese compare to men who consumed the same about of alcohol drinking only 2-4 days per week
• 49 percent less likely to be obese compare to men who consumed the same about of alcohol drinking only 1 day per week
• 56 percent less likely to be obese compare to men who consumed the same about of alcohol drinking only 1-3 days per month

 

Coronary Heart Disease

Small, frequent consumption of alcohol most beneficial for coronary heart disease

The paper also notes that studies have found that “a frequent intake of small amounts of alcohol seems to be more beneficial [at reducing the risk of coronary heart disease] than a binge-like intake of larger amounts per drinking occasion.”

 

Conclusion

Conclusion : Frequent drinkers less likely to be obese than binge drinkers

“[T]he lowest odds of being obese was observed among the most frequent drinkers,” the paper concluded.

This was true for men and women.

Conclusion : Frequent drinkers more likely to have smaller hips and smaller waist

“[W]e found that drinking frequency was inversely associated with large waist—[which means that more frequent drinking was associated with having a small waist]—and directly associated with small hips.”

In other words, for a given intake of alcohol, people who drank more frequently were more likely to have a smaller waist and smaller hips.

Other studies have found similar results.

 

Why Is This?

Alcohol stimulates thermogenesis

“[A]lcohol has an acute thermogenic effect,” the authors note.

Therefore, drinking small amounts of alcohol daily may burn more calories than drinking larger amounts of alcohol less frequently.

REFERENCE

Tolstrup J, Heitmann B, Tjonneland A, Overvad O, Sorensen T, Gronbaek M. The relation between drinking pattern and body mass index and waist and hip circumference. Int J Obes (Lond). 2005 May, 29(5):490-97.

AUTHOR’S CONTACT INFORMATION

J. S. Tolstrup
Centre for Alcohol Research
National Institute of Public Health
Copenhagen, Denmark
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