Association between alcohol consumption and incidence of type 2 diabetes in middle-aged Japanese: Panasonic cohort study 12

Abstract

Abstract This historical cohort study aimed to investigate the association between alcohol consumption and onset of type 2 diabetes in middle-aged Japanese individuals. Participants were aged 40 and above from Panasonic Corporation, Osaka, Japan’s medical health checkup program in 2008–2021. Alcohol consumption was calculated by converting the quantity consumed into daily ethanol consumption. We assessed the association between alcohol consumption and onset of type 2 diabetes using Cox regression analysis. Among 102,802 participants, 7,510 participants (7.3%) developed type 2 diabetes during the study period. Alcohol consumption at the level of 0 < to < 22 g/day and 22 to < 39 g/day were associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes compared to complete alcohol abstainers. Individuals consuming alcohol at levels of 39 to < 66 g/day and at levels of ≥ 66 g/day had an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes in participants with BMI < 25 kg/m2. All levels of alcohol consumption were protective against the onset of type 2 diabetes in participants with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2. Moderate-to-heavy alcohol consumption poses a risk of type 2 diabetes for participants with BMI < 25 kg/m2, whereas alcohol intake has a protective effect on onset of type 2 diabetes among participants with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2.