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Cited by 161Substance Abuse Treatment and OutcomesAlcohol Consumption and Health EffectsMental Health Treatment and Access

Effect of alcohol use disorders and alcohol intake on the risk of subsequent depressive symptoms: a systematic review and meta‐analysis of cohort studies

Li, Jiande, Wang, Hongxuan, Li, Mei, Shen, Qingyu, Li, Xiangpen, Zhang, Yuanpei, Peng, Jialing, Rong, Xiaoming +1 more·2020·Addiction
DOI 10.1111/add.14935
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Abstract

Background and Aims: Alcohol use disorders (AUD) are often comorbid with depressive symptoms. Cohort studies on the association between AUD and subsequent depressive symptoms have produced inconsistent results. Moreover, regarding alcohol intake, the risk of developing depressive symptoms might vary with alcohol intake level. We aimed to investigate the association between AUD, alcohol intake and subsequent depressive symptoms. Design and Setting: We conducted a systematic search in PubMed, Embase and PsycINFO for cohort studies on the association between AUD or alcohol intake and subsequent depressive symptoms. Participants: We included 338 426 participants from 42 studies. Six and four studies analyzed only females and males, respectively. Measurements: We combined risk estimates for developing depressive symptoms using a random‐effects model. We divided alcohol intake into abstinence, light (0–84 g/week), moderate (85–168 g/week) and heavy drinking (> 168 g/week or > 48 g/day at least weekly). We conducted a categorical analysis to compare the risk of depressive symptoms between abstinence and different intake categories. Further, we conducted a dose–response analysis to investigate the alcohol–depression association. Findings: We analyzed 42 studies (follow‐up time: 1–40 years). AUD was associated with significantly increased risk of subsequent depressive symptoms [relative risk (RR) = 1.57, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.41–1.76]. Regarding alcohol intake, heavy drinking had an increased risk of depressive symptoms; however, the association was only significant when controls were limited to non‐heavy drinkers (RR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.05–1.22). Taking into consideration the possibility of publication bias and confounding factors made the association non‐significant. We observed J‐shaped associations in both categorical and dose–response analyses where light‐moderate drinking had a significantly decreased risk of depression, while heavy drinking did not show a significant association with depressive symptoms compared with non‐drinkers. Conclusion: Alcohol use disorders are associated with increased the risk of subsequent depressive symptoms. Heavy drinking does not significantly predict occurrence of depressive symptoms after adjusting for potential confounders.

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  • Physical inactivity, tobacco smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, impaired sleep, and poor diet at baseline are all associated with a subsequently increased risk of developing MDD.

    “On the one hand, multiple independent meta-analyses of prospective data have shown that physical inactivity, tobacco smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, impaired sleep, and poor diet at baseline are all associated with a subsequently increased risk of developing MDD136,137.”

    From Comorbidity between major depressive disorder and physical diseases: a comprehensive review of epidemiology, mechanisms and management (2023) · cites this paper as [137]

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Authors
Li, J., Wang, H., Li, M., Shen, Q., Li, X., Zhang, Y., Peng, J., Rong, X., & Peng, Y.
Affiliations
Sun Yat-sen University (CN)
Corresponding author
Peng, Ying
ORCID
Venue
Addiction
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2020-01-16
Volume
115
Issue
7
Pages
1224-1243
ISSN
  • 0965-2140 (ISSN-L)
  • 1360-0443
DOI
10.1111/add.14935
OpenAlex
W2995658747
Cited by
161
References
93
Citations by year
2026: 28 · 2025: 35 · 2024: 34 · 2023: 24 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 7
FWCI
1.46
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
Locations
  • Addiction (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Alcohol Consumption and Health Effects
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
Keywords
alcoholism, depressive symptoms, alcohol consumption, heavy drinking, dose-response relationship, J-shaped association, alcohol abstinence, comorbidities
MeSH terms
Alcohol Drinking, Alcoholism, Depression, Female, Humans, Male, Cohort Studies

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