Aim: This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the relationship between drinking patterns (combination of the frequency and amount of alcohol consumption) and the possession of multiple metabolic syndrome (MetS) components in non-obese and obese individuals.
Methods: Data derived from medical examinations, specific health checkup questionnaires, and health insurance claims of 36 006 individuals aged 40-64 years from five health insurance associations affiliated with Japanese companies were analyzed. Modified Poisson regression analysis was conducted with multiple MetS components as the objective variable, drinking patterns as the explanatory variable, and sex, age, weight gain ≥ 10 kg since the age of 20 years, and lifestyle habits except for drinking patterns as adjustment variables.
Results: Drinking patterns associated with a high risk of possessing multiple MetS components were "everyday drinking" ≥ 20 g/day and "sometimes drinking" ≥ 40 g/day in non-obese individuals and "everyday drinking" ≥ 60 g/day in obese individuals. Across these risky drinking patterns, the prevalence ratios for the possession of multiple MetS components were higher in non-obese individuals than in obese individuals. Conversely, drinking patterns associated with a lower risk of possessing multiple MetS components were "everyday drinking < 20 g/day" in non-obese individuals and "sometimes drinking < 20 g/day" and "everyday drinking < 20 g/day" in obese individuals.
Conclusion: Non-obese individuals, even when drinking less frequently and in smaller amounts, showed a higher risk of possessing multiple MetS components than obese individuals, underscoring the importance of supporting reduced alcohol consumption among non-obese individuals.
Keywords: amount of alcohol consumption; frequency of drinking; metabolic syndrome; non‐obese; obese.
© 2026 The Author(s). Neuropsychopharmacology Reports published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of The Japanese Society of Neuropsychopharmacology.