MedWire News: Men who consume more than two alcoholic drinks a day and women who consume more than one drink a day face an increased risk of developing the metabolic syndrome, researchers have found.

The metabolic syndrome is an umbrella term for a cluster of at least three components, including diabetes, high cholesterol levels, high blood fat levels, obesity and high blood pressure, which significantly increases the risk of heart disease.

Dr Amy Fan, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, and colleagues explain that some studies suggest that alcohol consumption may protect against developing the metabolic syndrome, whereas others suggest that alcohol consumption may increase the risk.

"This may be due to variations in drinking patterns and different alcohol effects on the metabolic syndrome components," they say.

To investigate further, the team studied data on 1529 people who participated in the 1999-2002 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

All the participants completed questionnaires about their alcohol intake and underwent physical examinations.

Analysis revealed that drinking alcohol in excess of US guidelines, which recommend a maximum of one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men, was associated with a 60% increased risk of developing the metabolic syndrome.

The team also found that binge drinking at least once a week was associated with a 51% increased risk of developing the metabolic syndrome.

The findings remained true after accounting for factors such as lifestyle and a family history of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, notes the team.

"Since more than half of current drinkers in our study drank in excess of the Dietary Guidelines limits and reported binge drinking, prevention efforts should focus on reducing alcohol consumption to safer levels," said Dr Fan.

"Unfortunately, few physicians screen their patients about alcohol use or are knowledgeable about guidelines that define low-risk or moderate drinking."

Writing in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, the researchers conclude: "Public health messages should emphasise the potential cardiometabolic risk associated with drinking in excess of national guidelines and binge drinking."