Effect of Drinking on Diabetes Risk in Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Data suggest that light-to-moderate alcohol consumption reduces the risk for developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). To determine if this benefit is also present in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), researchers conducted a 9-year prospective cohort study among 7079 men recruited during annual health checkups at one facility in China in 2009.

NAFLD diagnosis was based on ultrasound findings. Alcohol consumption was self-reported using a validated questionnaire. Only those with no alcohol use, light use (<70 g/week) or moderate use (70–210 g/week) were included. T2DM diagnosis was based on American Diabetes Association criteria. Patients were followed-up annually.

At baseline, 243 participants had T2DM (3%) and 1831 (2…