Drinking too much alcohol can contribute to obesity in several ways. There are seven calories per gram of alcohol, which makes it fairly calorie dense, and it is also thought to lessen the body’s ability to burn fat. Indeed, if you drink too much, fat storage may be promoted, particularly in the belly, which is a health danger zone.

Alcohol is more problematic for people trying to lose weight. It can stimulate appetite and if drinking is associated with eating high-fat foods, particularly in social situations, there is also a greater chance of consuming more calories. As well as being calorie dense, the calories in alcohol are considered “empty” in that they provide no nutritional value. People trying to lose weight need to carefully control their calorie intake from alcohol.

That said, alcohol does not lead to weight gain as a rule. In fact, extensive studies show that moderate consumption of alcohol is often associated with a small weight reduction in women. The reasons for this are not known, but alcohol appears to increase metabolic rate and also reduce the amount of sugar a person eats. The key concept, yet again, is moderation. Heavy drinking will cause weight gain.

Research has found that light to moderate drinkers of alcoholic beverages consistently have a 30-40 percent lower diabetic risk than teetotalers. However, exactly how much alcohol reduces the risk of diabetes has not yet been established. A recent study has also shown that light or moderate consumption of alcohol improves insulin sensitivity and may reduce potential cardiac complications for people with diabetes. In the study, moderate alcohol consumption improved the action of insulin in both diabetic and non-diabetic participants, but the effect was much greater among those with diabetes.

However, excess alcohol consumption is an easy way to gain weight as alcohol is high in calories. There is a strong link between obesity and diabetes.

Alcohol interferes with calcium balance and vitamin D absorption, both of which are important for good bone health; therefore, excess alcohol consumption (more than 1-2 standard drinks per day) can lead to weaker bones. Vitamin D deficiency in particular can lead to osteomalacia, a bone condition associated with pain, fractures and deformity.

Chronic heavy drinking can result in hormonal deficiencies in both men and women. Men who drink too much alcohol tend to produce less testosterone, a hormone known for its positive effect on bone density.

In pre-menopausal women, heavy drinking can result in irregular menstrual cycles, which increases the risk of osteoporosis. However, alcohol consumption may actually have a positive effect on bone density in women after menopause.

Due to the effects of alcohol on balance, alcoholics tend to suffer from falls more frequently than other people. Heavy alcohol consumption has been associated with an increased risk of fracture, including hip fracture, in both men and women.