Two people can step on the scale and see the same number. One carries most of their fat just under the skin, where it’s relatively harmless. The other carries it deep in the abdomen, wrapped around the liver and intestines, where it’s tied to diabetes and heart disease. Research suggests that how much a person drinks may help explain which of those two people they are, though it can’t prove alcohol is the reason.
One possible explanation involves how the body processes alcohol. Because the body prioritizes breaking down alcohol, fat burning temporarily slows. Although these studies can’t prove that alcohol causes visceral fat accumulation, they suggest that drinking habits may influence not just how much body fat a person carries, but where it is stored.
Why Where You Store Fat Matters
Not all body fat behaves the same way.
Fat just beneath the skin, called subcutaneous fat, isn’t unhealthy in the right amounts; in fact, it can be protective. Visceral fat is a different story. It sits deeper within the abdominal cavity, surrounding organs such as the liver and intestines. Too much of it is linked to insulin resistance (when the body stops responding well to the hormone that controls blood sugar), heart disease, and inflammation.
People store fat differently, which is why body mass index (BMI) can be misleading. Josh Wageman, a clinical lipid specialist, told The Epoch Times. When the body can no longer store as much fat under the skin, the excess may build up around internal organs or in the liver. “Merely being at a ‘normal BMI’ doesn’t tell the entire story,” he said.
Related Stories
People with similar BMIs can have different metabolic risks depending on how much visceral fat they carry, Dr. Robert Carpenter, a board-certified general surgeon and clinical professor at Texas A&M University Naresh K. Vashisht College of Medicine, told The Epoch Times.
What the Research Shows
Three large studies point in the same direction:
-
An analysis of 5,761 adults from the Oxford Biobank found that people who drank more tended to carry a greater proportion of visceral fat, even after researchers accounted for total body fat, age, smoking, and physical activity.
-
A UK Biobank study linked greater beer and liquor consumption to more visceral fat.
-
Other research from the Framingham Heart Study found that men who drank more than 14 alcoholic drinks per week had more visceral fat than men who drank less.
The Oxford researchers studied adults ages 25 to 75 who reported their typical weekly alcohol intake. They divided the 4,951 participants who drank into four groups by weekly intake, separately for men and women, and measured visceral fat with DXA, a low-dose X-ray body scan.
Unlike waist circumference, which cannot distinguish between different types of abdominal fat, DXA scans allow researchers to measure visceral fat more precisely. Alcohol was linked to visceral fat, even after researchers accounted for differences in total body fat.
The largest differences appeared among the heaviest drinkers. Among men, visceral fat accounted for about 5 percent of total body fat in the highest drinking group, compared with 4.5 percent in the group just below it. For women, the figures were 1.6 percent and 1.4 percent, respectively. Typical alcohol intake in the heaviest drinking groups was about 14 U.S. standard drinks per week for men and eight for women.
The type of alcohol may also matter. An earlier UK Biobank study found that beer and liquor consumption were associated with greater amounts of visceral fat, while red wine consumption was linked to lower levels. However, the study doesn’t prove that red wine reduces belly fat or that beer and liquor increase it.
“We definitely cannot infer nor can we expressly state a ‘threshold’ or recommendation from this study,” Carpenter said.
Why Alcohol Might Affect Visceral Fat
Experts point to two explanations, one about how the body handles alcohol and one about what people do while drinking.
The body treats alcohol as a priority. “The body prioritizes clearing alcohol from our system, which puts a hold on fat oxidation,” Lauren Harris-Pincus, a registered dietitian nutritionist, told The Epoch Times.
In other words, the body temporarily burns less fat while processing alcohol. But that alone doesn’t explain why more fat might accumulate around internal organs. Researchers suspect alcohol may also affect hormones involved in fat storage, potentially encouraging more fat to collect deep in the abdomen rather than beneath the skin. However, the exact reasons are unclear.
When the body processes alcohol, it changes how cells use energy, which may promote fat build-up in the liver, Wageman said. Alcohol may also affect how the body responds to insulin and stores fat.
There is also a simpler explanation for fat gain: Alcohol is calorie-dense and can influence how much people eat. At seven calories per gram, alcohol provides nearly twice as many calories as carbohydrates or protein, Harris-Pincus said. Those calories can add up quickly, especially with sugary mixers or heavier restaurant meals. Alcohol may also stimulate appetite, making it easier to eat more than intended.
It’s difficult to separate alcohol’s direct effects on fat storage from the effects of consuming extra calories, Wageman said.
Limitations to Consider
The Oxford study captured a snapshot in time rather than following participants as their drinking habits and body composition changed, and because it was observational, it can’t show that alcohol directly caused the differences in visceral fat. Alcohol intake was self-reported, and researchers lacked details about participants’ diets, beverage types, and drinking patterns. “Subjective reports from patient questionnaires may not be representative of actual intake levels,” Carpenter said.
One finding complicates the picture: Nondrinkers sometimes had more total and visceral fat than light-to-moderate drinkers. However, the non-drinking group may have included both lifelong abstainers and former drinkers, making comparisons difficult.
What You Can Do
The good news is that visceral fat responds to lifestyle changes, including exercise, even when the number on the scale barely moves.
Cut Back Gradually: For people who drink, cutting back on alcohol can reduce health risks, along with improving nutrition, physical activity, and sleep. Carpenter suggests making manageable changes: “Set small goals. Have an accountability partner. Set expectations with your family. Be flexible with yourself.”
Bonnie Taub-Dix, a registered dietitian nutritionist, suggests treating it as finding enjoyable alternatives rather than following a restrictive diet rule. “Sometimes it’s the ritual of having a drink that we enjoy as much as the drink itself,” she told The Epoch Times.
Her ideas include sparkling water with a splash of fruit juice in a wineglass, alternating alcoholic drinks with water, or choosing alcohol-free days. She cautions that mocktails made with sugary syrups and juices can still carry a lot of calories.
If you do drink, Harris-Pincus recommends eating a balanced meal beforehand and paying attention to what’s in alcoholic drinks. Skipping sugary mixers can help limit calories, but lower-calorie options don’t eliminate alcohol’s health risks, which include cancer and liver disease.
Eat for Metabolic Health: Harris-Pincus recommends a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern emphasizing fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds, lean proteins, and heart-healthy fats. Taub-Dix points to fiber-rich foods, enough protein, and sensible portions.
“There’s no magical food or exercise that specifically melts away belly fat in spite of what you see in advertisements,” Taub-Dix said. “When it comes to diet and exercise, consistency is key to prevent peaks and valleys often seen in unrealistic weight loss programs.”
The bathroom scale provides only part of the picture. “Don’t assume that a stable weight, or even a slim weight, automatically means everything is fine beneath the surface,” Taub-Dix said. “Taking care of your health goes beyond weight management.”
