Introduction
Alcohol Intake and Obesity: Observational Evidence
Cross-sectional Evidence
Longitudinal Evidence
Alcohol Intake and Obesity: Experimental Evidence
Trend | Study (measurement) | ||
---|---|---|---|
Men | Women | ||
Cross-sectional studies | No association | Colditz et al. [8] (BMI) Gruchow et al. [6] (BMI) | |
Positive association | Alcacera et al. [28] (Only men above median age, BMI) Croezen et al. [20] (Only in 13–14 year olds, overweight risk) Sung et al. [27] (BMI) | ||
Negative association | Liangpunsakul [9] (BMI, WHR) Rohrer et al. [10] (Obesity rate) | Colditz et al. [8] (BMI) Gruchow et al. [6] (BMI) Liangpunsakul [9] (BMI, WHR) Rohrer et al. [10] (Obesity rate) Skrzypczak et al. [11] (BMI, WHR) Williamson et al. [13] (BMI) | |
J-shaped | Arif & Rohrer [19] (Obesity risk) Duvigneaud et al. [21] (combined WC and BMI) Lukasiewicz et al. [22] (WHR, BMI) Wakabayashi [23] (WC) Wannamethee, Shaper & Whincup [17] (BMI, WC, WHR) | Arif & Rohrer [19] (Obesity risk) Duvigneaud et al. [21] (combined WC and BMI) Tolstrup et al. [16] (BMI, WC) Wakabayashi [23] (WC) | |
Binge/ heavy drinking positively associated | Arif & Rohrer [19] (Obesity rate) Coulson et al. [18] (BMI, WC, body fat %) Lee [25] (WC) Shelton & Knott [24] (Risk of obesity) | Arif & Rohrer [19] (Obesity rate) Lee [25] (WC) Shelton & Knott [24] (Risk of obesity) | |
Frequency negatively associated, Intensity positively associated | Breslow & Smothers [14] (BMI) French et al. [15] (BMI) Tolstrup et al. [16] (BMI, WC) | French et al. [15] (BMI) | |
Longitudinal studies | No association | Arabshahi [32] (Change in BMI, WC) alkjaer et al. [33] (Change in WC) Holloway et al. [30] (Change in BMI) Pajari et al. [35] (Change in BMI) Romaguera et al. [41] (Change in WC) Tolstrup et al. [38] (Change in WC) | Arabshahi [32] (Change in BMI, WC) Economos et al. [43] (Weight gain) French et al. [15] (Change in BMI) Halkjaer et al. [33] (Change in WC) Holloway et al. [30] (Change in BMI) Pajari et al. [35] (Change in BMI) Sammel et al. [36] (Weight gain of >10lbs) |
Drinkers gain more over follow-up | Bell, Ge & Popkins [42] (Risk of weight gain) Hou et al. [40] (Risk of weight gain) | Bell, Ge & Popkins [42] (Risk of weight gain) Romaguera et al. [41] (Change in WC) Wanamethee et al. [14] (Only in African American participants, change in weight >5kg) | |
Drinkers gain less over follow-up | Liu et al. [34] (Risk of major weight gain) | Hou et al. [40] (Risk of weight gain) Liu et al. [34] (Risk of major weight gain) Thompson et al. [37] (Change in weight) Tolstrup et al. [38] (Change in WC) Wang et al. [39] (Weight gain) | |
Increases in drinking pattern positively associated | Economos et al. [43] (Weight gain) French et al. [14] (Change in BMI) Mozafarrian et al. [31] (Weight gain) | Wanamethee et al. [12] (Change in weight >5kg) Schutze et al. [47] (Change in WC) | |
Positive association only in heavy drinking | Halkjaer et al. [33] (Wine only, change in WC) MacInnis et al. [44•] (Change in BMI, WC) Rissanen et al. [45] (Risk of weight gain) Sayon-Orea et al. [46] (Risk of weight gain, obesity) Schutze et al. [47] (Change in weight, WC) | MacInnis et al. [44•] (Change in BMI, WC) Rissanen et al. [45] (Risk of weight gain) Sayon-Orea et al. [46] (Risk of weight gain, obesity) Wanamethee et al. [12] (Change in weight >5kg) | |
Experimental studies | No significant effect of alcohol intake | Cordain et al. [49] (Weight, body fat %, others) Beulens et al. [51] (Weight, Body fat distribution) Fletchner-Mors et al. [53] (Change in weight) Crouse & Grundy [48] (Normal weight participants, change in weight) Romeo et al. [52] (Weight gain, WC) | Cordain et al. [50] (Body weight, body fat %) Fletchner-Mors et al. [53] (Change in weight) Romeo et al. [52] (Weight gain, WC) |
Positive impact of alcohol consumption | Crouse & Grundy [48] (Half of obese patients, change in weight) Romeo et al. [52] (Biceps skinfold only) | Romeo et al. [52] (Biceps skinfold) |
Alcohol Intake and Obesity: Potential Mechanisms
Hormone/ neurotransmitter | Effect on hunger/ energy intake | Effect of alcohol intake on hormone/ neurotransmitter response | Reference(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Peripheral signals | CCK | Suppresses | Increase | |
Leptin | Suppresses | Decrease | Rojdmark, Calissendorff and Brisman [56] | |
GLP-1 | Suppresses | Decrease | Raben et al. [57] | |
GIP | Suppresses | No effect | Raben et al. [57] | |
PYY | Suppresses | No effect | Calissendorf et al. [59] | |
NPY | Stimulates (is inhibited by leptin) | No effect | Calissendorf et al. [58] | |
Ghrelin | Stimulates | Decrease | Calissendorf et al. [58] | |
Central neurotransmitter systems | GABA | Stimulates | Agonist | Koob [64] |
Opioids | Stimulates | Increase | ||
Serotonin | Suppresses | Decreases | Yeomans et al. [62] |