Alcohol as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
OBJECTIVE
To clarify the dose-response relationship between alcohol consumption and type 2 diabetes.


METHODS
A systematic computer-assisted and hand search was conducted to identify relevant articles with longitudinal design and quantitative measurement of alcohol consumption. Adjustment was made for the sick-quitter effect. We used fractional polynomials in a meta-regression to determine the dose-response relationships by sex and end point using lifetime abstainers as the reference group.


RESULTS
The search revealed 20 cohort studies that met our inclusion criteria. A U-shaped relationship was found for both sexes. Compared with lifetime abstainers, the relative risk (RR) for type 2 diabetes among men was most protective when consuming 22 g/day alcohol (RR 0.87 [95% CI 0.76-1.00]) and became deleterious at just over 60 g/day alcohol (1.01 [0.71-1.44]). Among women, consumption of 24 g/day alcohol was most protective (0.60 [0.52-0.69]) and became deleterious at about 50 g/day alcohol (1.02 [0.83-1.26]).


CONCLUSIONS
Our analysis confirms previous research findings that moderate alcohol consumption is protective for type 2 diabetes in men and women.
Baliunas
Dolly O
DO
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. dolly.baliunas@utoronto.ca
Taylor
Benjamin J
BJ
Irving
Hyacinth
H
Roerecke
Michael
M
Patra
Jayadeep
J
Mohapatra
Satya
S
Rehm
Jürgen
J
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013694:Temperament / Q000502:physiology
D001786:Blood Glucose