Research from a post-doctoral student in the Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health at the University of Kansas Medical Center shows heavy binge drinking in early adulthood increases the risk of becoming overweight or obese five years later.

Tera Fazzino found in her research that heavy episodic drinking was associated with a 41 percent increased risk of transitioning from normal weight at ages 18-26 to overweight in ages 24-32, according to a news release from KU. She also found a 36 percent increased risk of transitioning from overweight to obese in that five- to six-year span.

Fazzino said in the release that other factors, including alcohol-related eating habits — such as late-night jaunts for fast food — could also contribute to the weight gain. She is looking into those factors in a current study with the Department of Psychology.