Association between alcohol drinking patterns and multiple metabolic syndrome components in non-obese and obese individuals

A cross-sectional study examined the relationship between drinking patterns (the combination of how often and how much alcohol is consumed) and the presence of multiple metabolic syndrome (MetS) components in both non-obese and obese individuals.
Researchers analysed data from 36,006 people aged 40–64, collected through medical exams, health questionnaires, and insurance records from five Japanese company health insurance groups.
They employed a statistical method to examine how different drinking patterns were associated with various components of metabolic syndrome (MetS). The analysis also considered factors such as sex, age, weight gain of 10 kg or more since age 20, and other lifestyle habits apart from drinking.
Drinking patterns linked to a high risk of having multiple MetS components included “everyday drinking” at ≥ 20 g/day and “sometimes drinking” at ≥ 40 g/day in non-obese individuals, and “everyday drinking” at ≥ 60 g/day in obese individuals. The prevalence ratios for having multiple MetS components were higher in non-obese individuals than in obese ones across these risky drinking patterns. Conversely, patterns associated with a lower risk of having multiple MetS components were “everyday drinking < 20 g/day” in non-obese individuals, and “sometimes drinking < 20 g/day” and “everyday drinking < 20 g/day” in obese individuals.
Non-obese individuals, even when drinking less frequently and in smaller amounts, exhibited a higher risk of having multiple MetS components than obese individuals, emphasising the importance of supporting reduced alcohol consumption among non-obese individuals.
Source: Kikuchi, A., Yoshimoto, H., Monma, T., Ozawa, S., Tsuchida, M., Takeda, F. (2026) Association between alcohol drinking patterns and multiple metabolic syndrome components in non-obese and obese individuals. Neuropsychopharmacology Reports, 46(2), e70105.