Can overweight/obesity be prevented among drinkers by appropriately modifying breakfast habits? A national cross-sectional study

Abstract Purpose Alcohol consumption is a significant factor in obesity, yet the effects of different drinking habits and breakfast intake on the body weight of this population are still controversial. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the relationship between breakfast habits and overweight/obesity among individuals who consumed alcohol. Methods Data for the study were collected from the 2022 Psychological and Behavioral Survey of Chinese Residents Research (PBICR), which employed a multistage stratified cluster sampling method. Propensity score matching (PSM) was utilized to balance any disparities in the distribution of demographic characteristics. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between alcohol consumption and overweight/obesity. Results Ourstudy revealed that individuals who consumed alcohol regularly had a greater risk of being overweight/obese than did former drinkers (OR=1.150, 95% CI=1.003, 1.318). Furthermore, the risk of overweight/obesity was greater among those who preferred spirits than among those who preferred beer (OR=1.655, 95% CI=1.441, 1.900). Notably, consistent alcohol drinkers who consumed breakfast three to four times a week were less likely to be overweight/obese than those who consumed breakfast daily (OR=0.595, 95% CI=(0.405,0.874). Additionally, individuals who consumed three types of breakfast per meal exhibited a greater risk of overweight/obesity than did those who consumed one type or less of breakfast per meal (OR=1.642, 95% CI=1.070, 2.522). Conclusion Among all drinking populations, those who consistently consume alcohol and drink spirits are at a greater risk of being overweight or obese. Furthermore, eating breakfast three to four times a week was found to be a protective factor against overweight/obesity, whereas consuming certain types of breakfast regularly was identified as a risk factor for overweight/obesity.