Also unexpectedly, we observed negative genetic correlations between AUDIT and BMI and obesity, consistent with Clarke et al (2017). We also observed a phenotypic correlation between high AUDIT scores and low BMI. Previous studies have shown both positive and negative phenotypic correlations between alcohol use and BMI and obesity (Breslow & Smothers 2005; Tolstrup et al. 2005; Sobczyk-Kopciol et al. 2016), which may reflect differences in the populations used. The generalizability and biological meaning of these observations will require further research.
