Moderate Alcohol Drinking may Reduce Obesity Risk

December 5th 2005

Although not recommended as a weight lose tactic, a drink a day may lower your risk of becoming obese.  According to researchers at the Mayo clinic if you consume 5 drinks a week you were 38% less likely to be obese, compared to non-drinkers.

But don’t drink to much because excessive drinking increased your risk of becoming obese or overweight.  The team led by James E. Rohrer Ph.D. found that drinkers that consumed four or more alcoholic beverages per day were more likely to be obese than those that did not drink. 

The study compared the rate of obesity in 8,236 non-smoking participants.  The study used data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics between 1988 and 1994. They correlated the body mass index and drinking history.

 Of the sampling 31% of the people were overweight and 22% were considered obese.  About 465 were current drinkers and drank at lease on drink per month.  The study showed current drinkers had a lower risk of obesity.   

Those who drank one drink a day were 54% less likely to be obese and those who drank two drinks a day were 41% less likely to be obese than non-drinkers.  Binge drinkers were significantly more likely to be obese than non-drinkers.

The researchers are not sure why drinkers had a lower risk of obesity.  The article appears in the BMC Public Health report for December 5^th 2005.  A synopsis can be found at their website.