Light to moderate drinking can reduce the risk of diabetes in women, according to the Harvard University findings.  The study involved 109,690 women aged 25 to 42 who took part in a continuing study of nurses' health. 

During a 10-year study, women who had about half a drink to two drinks a day were 58 per cent less likely than nondrinkers to develop type 2 diabetes (adult-onset diabetes). Conversely, those who had more than two drinks of hard liquor a day faced more than double the risk of nondrinkers.  Previous studies in men also linked heavy drinking with an increased diabetes risk.