A recent study found that nearly half of participants in a telehealth weight management program who reported alcohol use at baseline reduced their consumption after starting antiobesity medications. The most significant changes were observed in those with higher baseline alcohol use or greater obesity severity.

The cohort study, published in JAMA Network Open, included 14,053 participants (86.0% female; mean age, 43.17 years; mean body mass index, 35.97). Of these, 53.3% reported alcohol use at baseline. Participants were prescribed various antiobesity medications (AOMs), including glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), metformin, and bupropion-naltrexone. Alcohol use was assessed at baseline and after AOM initiation.

Among participants who reported alcohol use at baseline, 45.3% reduced their consumption, 52.4% reported no change, and 2.3% increased their use. Participants using bupropion-naltrexone showed a greater likelihood of reducing alcohol consumption compared to metformin users (adjusted odds ratio, 1.42; P = .04). However, this association became non-significant after accounting for weight loss (P = .10). Unexpected reductions in alcohol use were also observed in participants using metformin, possibly due to behavioral strategies in the program, such as awareness of caloric intake.

The study highlights potential mechanisms of AOMs that may influence alcohol consumption, including reduced cravings and attenuation of alcohol's rewarding effects. The findings, however, warrant validation through randomized trials.

Full disclosures are available in the published study.