Drinking Alcohol Decreases the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Among Older Women

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Alcohol consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes among older women, by J.W.J. Beulens and colleagues. Diabetes Care 28:2933–2938, 2005.

What is the problem and what is known about it so far?

Recent studies have shown that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol (as compared to drinking too much alcohol or no alcohol at all) can lower the chances of getting type 2 diabetes. However, only a few studies on alcohol and type 2 diabetes have included women, and very few have included older women.

Why did the researchers do this particular study?

Previous studies on the effects of drinking moderate amounts of alcohol (1-2 drinks) and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes have mostly been done on men or both men and women who were younger than 55 years old. The researchers wanted to study how drinking alcohol affects older women’s (more than 50 years old) chances of developing type 2 diabetes.

Who was studied?

The study included 16,330 women, aged 49-70 years, who participated in the breast cancer screening Prospect-EPIC (European Prospective Study Into Cancer and Nutrition) between 1993 and 1999.

How was the study done?

General questionnaires were mailed to the women in the study. The women were asked where they lived and if they had conditions that put them at risk for any other diseases. Waist and hip, height, weight, and blood pressure measurements were taken at the beginning of the study. Diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol were also reported if these conditions were diagnosed by a doctor. The questionnaire asked about how much each woman exercised and how much they ate.

The questionnaire also contained questions about how much alcohol the women drank, how often they drank, and what types of alcohol they drank, both currently and in the past. The researchers sent out two follow-up questionnaires every 3 to 5 years. These questionnaires asked the women whether they developed type 2 diabetes, what year they were diagnosed, who diagnosed them, and whether they were being treated by diet, drugs, and/or insulin.

What did the researchers find?

The researchers found that blood pressure was lower in the women who drank moderately, but it increased in women who drank more. During the study, a total of 760 new cases of diabetes were diagnosed. The research shows, however, that drinking alcohol in moderate amounts did lessen the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Women who did not drink or who drank only a little also had the same results.

What were the limitations of the study?

There were three main limitations to the study. First, the researchers relied on the women to report how much they drink, which might make it hard to get accurate answers. Second, some women did not respond to the questionnaires about having diabetes, which might make the number of women who developed diabetes inaccurate. Third, some women might have had other conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, that they did not report.

What are the implications of the study?

This study supports that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol, such as one glass of red wine per day, decreases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Alcohol Consumption and Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes A to Z, Fifth Edition