Alcohol Consumption during Adolescence and Risk of Diabetes in Young Adulthood

Background. There is very limited data available on the association between underage drinking and risk of diabetes. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between alcohol use during adolescence and the risk of diabetes while controlling for a wide range of confounders, including parental alcohol use. Methods. This population-based study used data collected from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Participants were initially recruited in 1994-1995 (Wave I), then followed up in 1996 (Wave II) and in 2001-2002 (Wave III), and in 2008-2009 (Wave IV). Analysis included 2,850 participants (46% male) who were successfully followed up at Waves I, III, and IV without a known diagnosis of diabetes at Waves I and III and who provided all necessary information for the analysis. Results. During adolescence, frequent alcohol consumption at levels reaching 5 or more drinks, 3–7 days/week, substantially increased the risk of diabetes in young adulthood, with an odds ratio of 12.57 (95% CI 4.10–38.61) compared to current abstainers. Conclusions. Heavy alcohol use during adolescence may increase the risk of diabetes in young adulthood. The Significant finding of the Study.