Drinking wine with meals may lower risk of type 2 diabetes, study finds

An analysis of health data for nearly 312,400 drinkers who currently drink, especially wine, and meals are associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to preliminary research to be published at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology, Prevention, Life>

"The health effects of alcohol consumption have been considered a double-edged sword, as it clearly cuts the ability to deep direction -- harmful or beneficial, depending on how it is consumed," said study author Haoma, MD, PhD, biostatistical Analyst at the Center for Obesity Research at Tulane University in New Orleans

Alcohol consumption is associated with short- and long-term health risks, including motor vehicle accidents, violence, sexually risky behaviors, high blood pressure, obesity, stroke, breast cancer, liver disease, depression, suicide, accidents, and alcoholism and alcoholism

The American Heart Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that adults who do not drink alcohol should not start drinking

For those who already drink alcohol, the key is to do it in moderation

Clinical trials have also found that moderate alcohol consumption may have some health benefits, including on glucose metabolism

For the study, researchers specifically looked at the effects that moderate alcohol consumption may be associated with new-onset type 2 diabetes among all study participants over an 11-year period (2006 to 2010)

The analysis found:

• During an average follow-up of nearly 11 years, about 8,600 adults in the study developed type 2 diabetes

  
  

• Drinking with meals was associated with a 14% lower risk of type 2 diabetes compared to drinking without meals

  
  

• The potential benefit of moderate alcohol consumption on type 2 diabetes risk was only apparent in those who drank with meals, although the study did not collect specific meal times

  
  

• The beneficial link between alcohol consumption and diet was most prevalent among participants who drank wine compared to other types of alcohol

  
  

• Drinking wine, beer, and liquor had different associations with type 2 diabetes risk

  
  

"The message from this study is that if you don't have other health conditions that may be negatively affected by moderate alcohol consumption, and in consultation with your doctor, moderate alcohol consumption with meals may protect against type 2 diabetes," Ma said

Despite the findings of this robust analysis of healthy drinkers, the relationship between alcohol consumption and new-onset type 2 diabetes remains controversial, said Robert H.

"These data suggest that it is not alcohol consumption with meals, but other components in wine, possibly antioxidants, that may be a factor in reducing new-onset type 2 diabetes

A limitation of the study was that most of the participants described themselves as white adults with European ancestry