The association between alcohol intake and obesity in a sample of the Irish adult population, a cross-sectional study

• Published in: BMC public health 2023-10, Vol.23 (1), p.1-2075, Article 2075
• Main Authors: AlKalbani, Salma Rashid, Murrin, Celine
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abdomen; Adults; Alcohol use; Alcoholic beverages; Alcohols; Audits; Beer; Beverages; Binge drinking; Body Mass Index; Body size; Comparative analysis; Cross-sectional studies; Data collection; Drinking behavior; Drinking of alcoholic beverages; Harmful alcohol drinking; Health care; Interviews; Ireland; Longitudinal studies; Males; Marketing research; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; Middle age; Obesity; Overweight; Population studies; Public health; Questionnaires; Regression analysis; Research ethics; Risk factors; Statistical analysis; Surveys; Waist circumference
• ISSN: 1471-2458; 1471-2458
• DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-16946-4

Background Obesity epidemic is one of the most serious public health challenges of the twenty-first century. Alcohol has been studied as a possible risk factor for obesity, but the evidence is discordant. This study examined the association between alcohol consumption and obesity in a sample of the Irish adult population. Method An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted using secondary data from the 2017 Healthy Ireland Survey. The primary survey recruited patients using a two-stage probability-based technique and a face-to-face-administered questionnaire to collect data. Descriptive and comparative data were analysed to identify associations between alcohol-related variables with waist circumference (WC) and body mass index (BMI). Regression analysis was performed to examine the associations between harmful alcohol consumption (AUDIT-C score [greater than or equal to] 5) (exposure variable) and obesity indicators (WC and BMI), the primary outcomes of interest. Adjustments were made for sociodemographic, health-related, and other alcohol-related variables. Results Total of 6864 participants, aged 25 and older, took part in this survey (response rate = 60.4%). Most of the participants (81.9%) were alcohol drinkers, with the majority drinking less than three times per week (76.3%); 47.7% were considered harmful drinkers (AUDIT-C score [greater than or equal to] 5). After controlling for possible confounders, positive associations of harmful alcohol consumption with WC ([beta] = 1.72, 95% CI: 0.25, 3.19) and BMI (OR = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.96) were observed. Binge drinking was positively associated with WC ([beta] = 1.71, 95% CI: 0.50, 2.91), while alcohol consumption frequency was significantly and inversely associated with BMI (OR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.44, 0.78). Conclusion Harmful alcohol consumption was associated with obesity (high BMI, large WC) after controlling for possible confounders. Frequent binge drinkers were more likely to have a large WC, while frequent alcohol consumers were less likely to have obesity. Further longitudinal studies to examine the exact association between alcohol consumption and obesity are warranted. Keywords: Obesity, Harmful alcohol drinking, Binge drinking, Waist circumference, Body Mass Index, Ireland