When it comes to wine, the French might be right. Beer drinkers have worse diets, smoke more and are lazier than wine and spirits lovers, a study suggests.
According to American researchers who tracked the drinking habits of nearly 2,000 adults, even those who drank a combination of alcohols were healthier than those who drank a beer on its own.
Beer drinkers were found to have the highest daily caloric intake and the lowest level of physical activity.
This, experts said, puts beer lovers at higher risk of obesity and related diseases.
The study’s lead author and internal medicine researcher at Tulane University, Dr. Madeline Novack, said the negative effects of excess alcohol, including liver disease, can often be exacerbated by a poor diet.
In the study, scientists compared the diets of more than 1,900 U.S. alcohol drinkers to the 100-point Healthy Eating Index, a U.S. measure of diet quality.
Information about the participants’ eating habits was collected through extensive questionnaires.
Just over a third (38.9 percent) consumed only beer, a fifth (21.8 percent) only consumed wine, 18.2 percent consumed only spirits, and 21 percent consumed a combination of beverages.
According to American researchers, who tracked the drinking habits of almost 2,000 adults, even those who drank a combination of alcohols were healthier than those who drank a pint on its own.
The NHS recommends that people drink no more than 14 “units” of alcohol (around six glasses of wine or pints of beer) per week.
They found that neither group came close to achieving a score indicating an “adequate diet” – a figure above 80.
But wine drinkers scored 55 points, liquor-only and mixed drinkers scored almost 53 points, while beer drinkers scored the lowest (49).
Beer drinkers also reported consuming the most calories and doing the least amount of exercise.
According to Dr. Novack, they were more likely to be male, younger, smokers, and low-income.
However, he suggested that differences in diet quality may be due to the context in which the type of alcohol is consumed.
Wine, particularly red wine, is often paired with more balanced meals containing meat, vegetables and dairy, Novack said.
In contrast, beer is often chosen in environments where foods 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 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases’ 2024 ‘Liver Meeting’ in San Diego on Sunday.
Leading experts have argued about the harms of moderate alcohol consumption for decades.
It came under the spotlight last year when 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 pints of beer) per week.
This same thing has been diluted in recent decades in light of studies that illustrate the dangers of alcohol for health.
Meanwhile, the United States says women should drink no more than seven standard drinks a week and men can have 14..
All scientists agree that excessive alcohol consumption can permanently damage the liver, cause a variety of cancers, and increase blood pressure.
It puts pressure on the heart muscle and can lead to cardiovascular disease (CVD), increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Excessive alcohol consumption, sometimes defined by consuming five drinks in two hours, can cause the heart to beat irregularly, triggering symptoms including shortness of breath, tiredness and increased blood pressure.
The World Health Organization estimates that alcohol kills three million people worldwide each year.