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Beer drinkers have a poorer diet, are less physically active, and are more likely to smoke than those who drink spirits, wine, or a combination.
Regarding alcohol, the wine-loving French could be on the right, “healthier” track. Because beer drinkers eat worse, smoke more, and are lazier than wine and spirits lovers, a new study shows. According to US researchers who tracked the drinking habits of almost 2,000 adults, even those who drank a combination of alcoholic beverages were healthier than beer-only drinkers. This is because beer drinkers had the highest daily calorie intake and the lowest level of physical activity. According to the experts, this puts beer lovers at a higher risk of obesity and the associated diseases.
The study’s lead author and internal medicine researcher at Tulane University, Madeline Novack, said the negative effects of excessive alcohol consumption, including liver disease, can often be exacerbated by a poor diet. In the study, researchers compared the dietary habits of more than 1,900 U.S. alcohol drinkers with the 100-point Healthy Eating Index – a U.S. measure of diet quality. Information about the participants’ eating habits was collected using extensive questionnaires. Just over a third (38.9 percent) drank only beer, a fifth (21.8 percent) only wine, 18.2 percent only spirits, and 21 percent a combination of drinks.
None of the groups even came close to the value of an “adequate diet,” which corresponds to a value above 80.
Wine drinkers scored 55 points, pure alcohol and combination drinkers scored almost 53 points, and beer drinkers scored the lowest (49). Beer drinkers also reported eating the most calories and exercising the least. According to Dr. Novack, beer drinkers were more likely to be male, younger, smokers, and have a low income. However, she suspects that the differences in diet quality are related to the context in which the type of alcohol is consumed.
Dr. Novack said wine—especially red wine—is often combined with balanced meals that include meat, vegetables, and dairy products. In contrast, beer is often consumed in an environment where the food tends to be low in fiber and high in carbohydrates and processed meats. Fried or salty foods can also stimulate beer consumption.
Leading experts have been arguing for decades about the harms of alcohol consumption, even when it is moderate. Last year, the issue came into the spotlight when representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that no amount of alcohol is healthy. Scientists agree that excessive alcohol consumption can permanently damage the liver, cause a range of cancers, and drive up blood pressure. It puts a strain on the heart muscle and can lead to cardiovascular disease, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. The World Health Organization estimates that alcohol kills three million people in the world every year.
- source: heute.at/picture: pixabay.com
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