Researchers Trying To Prove Liver Disease Only Occurs in Fat Alcoholic Women

Two (kinda dubious) UK studies have claimed to have determined a link between weight, excessive drinking and chronic liver disease — not exactly a fascinating new discovery to associate liver disease with drinking, and the way weight’s thrown into it seems a little half-assed.

The first study which examined 107,000 women with low to high BMIs and low to high alcohol intake (over 15 units per week, e.g. six pints of beer or nine small glasses of wine), found that those with high BMIs and high alcohol intake were most likely to suffer from liver disease.

Says the lead researcher:

“It’s well known that alcohol and a person’s weight are major causes of chronic liver disease however there has been a need for a large population study to compare these factors’ influences on each other. Interestingly, the research found the combination of a woman’s drinking habits and weight has an important effect on liver health and life expectancy.”

Which proved… oh, wait, not really jack squat about the overweight/liver disease link, cuz:

“Based on this research we know that a person with low BMI and high alcoholic intake has a greater risk of developing chronic liver disease compared to a woman with a high BMI who doesn’t drink very much… [but] this is an important first step in the right direction.”

But—yeah, shame on you, you big fat cow. Even if you DON’T drink that much and are in perfect health, you’re still fat, you Fatness Everdeen. So there. XOXO, Science.

The second study, which seems somewhat more significant, examined 100 patients awaiting liver transplants after extensive alcoholism-related damage. The rate of liver cancer was found in 54% of overweight patients and 14% of those who were not overweight.

‘Too Much Drinking, Weight May Harm Liver’ [Philly.com]
‘High alcohol intake ups chronic liver disease among overweight people’ [Zee News]