When it comes to wine, the French may be right. Beer drinkers have worse diets, smoke more and are lazier than those who consume wine or spirits, a study suggests.
According to American researchers who tracked the drinking habits of nearly 2,000 adults, even those who drank combinations of alcohol were healthier than those who consumed beer alone. Beer drinkers were found to have the highest daily calorie intake and the lowest levels of physical activity.
According to experts, this puts beer drinkers at a higher risk for obesity and related diseases. Lead author of the study and a researcher in internal medicine at Tulane University, Dr. Madeline Novack, said that the negative effects of excessive alcohol consumption, including liver disease, are often exacerbated by poor diets. – GazetaExpress reports the study.
In the study, scientists compared the diets of more than 1,900 American alcohol users with the 100-point Healthy Eating Index – a U.S. measure of diet quality. Information on the participants’ eating habits was collected through detailed questionnaires.
More than a third (38.9 percent) consumed only beer, a fifth (21.8 percent) only wine, 18.2 percent only spirits and 21 percent a combination of drinks. They found that none of the groups achieved a score indicating an “adequate diet” – a score above 80.
But wine drinkers scored 55 points, spirits and cocktails scored nearly 53 points, and beer drinkers posted the lowest score (49). Beer drinkers also reported consuming more calories and exercising less.
According to Dr. Novack, they were more likely to be male, younger, smokers and of lower income. However, she suggested that differences in diet quality may be related to the context in which alcohol is consumed.
Wine — especially red wine — is often paired with more balanced meals that include meat, vegetables and dairy, Dr. Novack said. Beer, by contrast, is often chosen in situations where meals tend to be low in fiber and high in carbohydrates and processed meats. Fried or salty foods, which dehydrate consumers, can also inspire beer consumption.
The research will be presented at the "Liver Meeting 2024" by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases in San Diego on Sunday.
Leading experts have debated the harms of moderate drinking for decades. Last year, WHO officials warned that no amount of alcohol is safe.
The NHS recommends that people drink no more than 14 “units” of alcohol – around six glasses of wine or beer – a week. This has been relaxed over recent decades in light of studies illustrating the health risks of alcohol.
Meanwhile, the US recommends that women drink no more than seven standard drinks per week, and men can drink up to 14.
Scientists generally agree that excessive alcohol consumption can damage the liver, cause a number of cancers, and raise blood pressure. This puts a strain on the heart muscle and can lead to cardiovascular disease (CVD), which increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Binge drinking – sometimes defined as consuming five drinks within two hours – can cause the heart to beat irregularly, causing symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue and increased blood pressure. The World Health Organization estimates that alcohol kills three million people worldwide each year. /Express newspaper/
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