Heavy alcohol drinking, compared to lifetime abstention, was associated with higher pericardial fat (relative percent difference 15.1; 95% CI 7.1-27.7) and hepatic fat.
Cross-Sectional (n=6,756)
Yes
Is alcohol consumption associated with ectopic fat distribution in adults at risk for cardiovascular disease?
Heavy and binge alcohol consumption are associated with higher ectopic fat deposition, exhibiting a J-shaped relationship compared to abstention or light drinking.
Effect estimate: Relative percent difference 15.1 (95% CI 7.1-27.7)
Background The relationship between alcohol consumption and ectopic fat distribution, both known factors for cardiovascular disease, remains understudied. Therefore, we aimed to examine the association between alcohol consumption and ectopic adiposity in adults at risk for cardiovascular disease. Methods and Results In this cross-sectional analysis, we categorized alcohol intake among participants in MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis) as follows (drinks/day): 2 (heavy drinking), former drinking, and lifetime abstention. Binge drinking was defined as consuming ≥5 drinks on 1 occasion in the past month. Visceral, subcutaneous, and intermuscular fat area, pericardial fat volume, and hepatic fat attenuation were measured using noncontrast computed tomography. Using multivariable linear regression, we examined the associations between categories of alcohol consumption and natural log-transformed fat in ectopic depots. We included 6756 MESA participants (62.1±10.2 years; 47.2% women), of whom 6734 and 1934 had chest computed tomography (pericardial and hepatic fat) and abdominal computed tomography (subcutaneous, intermuscular, and visceral fat), respectively. In adjusted analysis, heavy drinking, relative to lifetime abstention, was associated with a higher (relative percent difference) pericardial 15.1 95% CI, 7.1-27.7, hepatic 3.4 95% CI, 0.1-6.8, visceral 2.5 95% CI, -10.4 to 17.2, and intermuscular 5.2 95% CI, -6.6 to 18.4 fat but lower subcutaneous fat -3.5 95% CI, -15.5 to 10.2). The associations between alcohol consumption and ectopic adiposity exhibited a J-shaped pattern. Binge drinking, relative to light-to-moderate drinking, was also associated with higher ectopic fat. Conclusions Alcohol consumption had a J-shaped association with ectopic adiposity. Both heavy alcohol intake and binge alcohol drinking were associated with higher ectopic fat.
Kazibwe et al. (Fri,) conducted a cross-sectional in At risk for cardiovascular disease (n=6,756). Heavy alcohol drinking vs. Lifetime abstention was evaluated on Natural log-transformed fat in ectopic depots (pericardial, hepatic, visceral, subcutaneous, and intermuscular) (Relative percent difference 15.1, 95% CI 7.1-27.7). Heavy alcohol drinking, compared to lifetime abstention, was associated with higher pericardial fat (relative percent difference 15.1; 95% CI 7.1-27.7) and hepatic fat.