Does Alcohol Use Differ by Weight Status in Young Adult Females?

Purpose: Alcohol use and weight status have been linked in previous research; however, there is limited research focused on young adult females. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess whether alcohol use differs by weight status in young adult females. Methods: This cross-sectional analysis used 2017 BRFSS data for young adult females, ages 25-44, from Colorado (N=831), Minnesota (N=1592), North Dakota (N=512), Texas (N=1204), and Washington (N=1281). Ordered logistic regression analysis by state assessed the relationship between alcohol use and weight status while controlling for general health behaviors, health status, socioeconomic factors, and demographic factors. Results: About two-thirds of participants reported using alcohol (57-72%) and over half reported being overweight or obese (50-65%). Results of adjusted analysis across states indicated that alcohol use was inversely related to weight status. Furthermore, alcohol use was significantly related to physical activity. Conclusion: Overall, alcohol use was found to be significantly and inversely related to weight status in young adult females in four out of the five states. Since the data was from a population-based study, the results may generalize to young adult females in the primary care setting. Practitioners should always screen young adult females for alcohol use, weight status, and physical activity because of their high prevalence. Providers should assess for treatment of excessive alcohol use and maintenance of healthy weight status, referring to alcohol treatment programs and weight management specialists, as necessary. Patients should also be educated on the importance of physical activity.