Effect of provision of non-alcoholic beverages on alcohol consumption: a randomized controlled study

BMC Med. 2023 Oct 2;21(1):379. doi: 10.1186/s12916-023-03085-1.

Abstract

Background: The use of alcohol-flavored beverages not containing alcohol (hereinafter referred to as non-alcoholic beverages) is recommended to reduce alcohol consumption. However, it is unclear if this reduces excessive drinking.

Objective: To verify whether non-alcoholic beverages impact the alcohol consumption of excessive drinkers.

Study design: Single-center, open-label, randomized, parallel-group study.

Methods: Participants aged 20 years or older who were not diagnosed with alcoholism, who drank at least four times a week, and whose alcohol consumption on those days was at least 40 g in males and 20 g in females, were recruited. Participants were randomized into the intervention or control group by simple randomization using a random number table. In the intervention group, free non-alcoholic beverages were provided once every 4 weeks for 12 weeks (three times in total), and thereafter, the number of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages consumed were recorded for up to 20 weeks. The consumption of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages was calculated based on a drinking diary submitted with the previous 4 weeks of data. The primary endpoint was the change from baseline in total alcohol consumption during past 4 weeks at week 12. The participants were not blinded to group allocations.

Results: Fifty-four participants (43.9%) were allocated to the intervention group and 69 (56.1%) to the control group. None of the participants in the intervention group dropped out, compared to two (1.6%) in the control group. The change in alcohol consumption was - 320.8 g (standard deviation [SD], 283.6) in the intervention group and - 76.9 g (SD, 272.6) in the control group at Week 12, indicating a significant difference (p < 0.001). Even at Week 20 (8 weeks after the completion of the intervention), the change was - 276.9 g (SD, 39.1) in the intervention group, which was significantly greater than - 126.1 g (SD, 41.3) in the control group (p < 0.001). The Spearman rank correlation coefficient between the change in non-alcoholic beverage consumption and alcohol consumption at Week 12 was significantly negative only in the intervention group (ρ = - 0.500, p < 0.001). There were no reports of adverse events during the study.

Conclusions: Providing non-alcoholic beverages significantly reduced alcohol consumption, an effect that persisted for 8 weeks after the intervention.

Trial registration: UMIN UMIN000047949. Registered 4 June 2022.

Keywords: Non-alcoholic beverages; Randomized controlled study; Reduced alcohol consumption.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alcohol Drinking* / adverse effects
  • Alcohol Drinking* / epidemiology
  • Alcoholic Beverages
  • Alcoholism*
  • Beverages
  • Ethanol
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male

Substances

  • Ethanol

Associated data

  • UMIN-CTR/UMIN000047949