AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Metabolic effects of intermittent unhealthy lifestyle in young adults are poorly studied. We investigated the gluco-metabolic and hepatic effects of participation in Roskilde Festival (one week of binge drinking and junk food consumption) in young, healthy males.

METHODS: Fourteen festival participants (FP) were studied before, during and after one week's participation in Roskilde Festival. Fourteen matched controls (CTRL) who did not participate in Roskilde Festival or change their lifestyle in other ways were investigated along a similar timeline.

RESULTS: The FP group consumed more alcohol compared to their standard living conditions (2.0±3.9 vs 16.3±8.3 units/day, p<0.001). CTRLs did not change their alcohol consumption. AUC for glucose during OGTT did not change in either group. C-peptide responses increased in the FP group (320±31 vs 376±25 nmol/l×min, p=0.055) and the Matsuda index of insulin sensitivity decreased (6.2±2.4 vs 4.7±1.4, p = 0.054). AUC for glucagon during OGTT increased in the FP group (1,115±114 vs 1,599±183 pmol/l×min, p=0.003) together with fasting fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) (62±30 vs 132±72 pmol/L, p<0.001), growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF5) (276±78 vs 330±83 pg/mL, p=0.009) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels (37.6±6.8 vs 42.4±11 U/l, p=0.043). Four participants (29%) developed ultrasound-detectable steatosis and mean strain elastography-assessed liver stiffness increased (p=0.026) in the FP group.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Participation in Roskilde Festival did not affect oral glucose tolerance, but was associated with a reduction in insulin sensitivity, increases in glucagon, FGF21, GDF15 and AST and lead to increased liver stiffness and, in 29% of the participants, ultrasound-detectable hepatic steatosis.