Want to keep diabetes at bay? Drinking alcohol might just help

 Who knew alcohol consumption could also have a positive impact on our health!

It's not every day that medical studies say alcohol could be good for you but according to a recent study, drinking alcohol can significantly protect against diabetes.

Frequent alcohol consumption is associated with a reduced risk of diabetes in both men and women, according to the study, with alcohol consumption over three four days a week gives the lowest risk of diabetes.

Previous studies have consistently suggested that light to moderate alcohol consumption - in terms of amount consumed - is associated with a lower risk of diabetes compared with abstention in men and women, whilst heavy consumption is associated with a risk greater than or equal to that of abstainers. However previous studies examining the role of drinking patterns (number of days drinking per week rather than volume) in relation to diabetes risk have given inconsistent findings, and studies on the effects of particular types of beverage are likewise inconclusive.

The present study, by Professor Janne Tolstrup and colleagues from the National Institute of Public Health of the University of Southern Denmark, examined the effects of drinking frequency on diabetes risk, and also considered association with specific beverage types.