Alcohol and weight gain
Alcohol and weight gain
Will drinking
alcohol
make you gain weight? The answer isn’t as straightforward as you may think.
The Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) conducted a
systematic review on alcohol and
obesity
External Link
and found that:
It is unclear whether alcohol consumption is a risk factor for weight gain because studies performed to date have found positive, negative or no association.
Where there is a positive association between alcohol and body weight it is more likely to be found in men than in women.
The present data provide inadequate scientific evidence to assess whether beer intake is associated with general or abdominal obesity.
When considering beer, where there is a positive association, it is more likely to be for abdominal obesity (abdominal fat around the stomach) than for general obesity for men and women.
So yes, it’s possible to gain weight from alcohol, but it’s not inevitable.
Whether or not you personally gain weight from drinking alcohol depends on many factors. These include:
your behaviours when you drink
what you drink
how often you drink
how much you drink
what you eat when you drink
factors that relate to your unique body and lifestyle
your overall diet
your genetics
your gender
your level of physical activity
your age
your health – for example the presence of other risk factors such as obesity and diabetes.
But remember,
drinking alcohol
- particularly in excessive amounts - has many other serious health risks beyond possible weight gain, including
high blood pressure
, increased
triglycerides
,
heart disease and stroke
,
liver disease
, and some cancers. So it’s important to monitor your alcohol consumption as part of a balanced diet, regardless of whether or not you’re managing your weight.
It’s also important for women who are
trying to get pregnant, or who are pregnant or breastfeeding
, to reduce or cut out alcohol altogether. There is no safe level of alcohol during pregnancy.
How alcohol could cause weight gain
While the relationship between alcohol consumption and obesity remains unclear, there are good reasons to think that alcohol may play a role:
It stops your body from burning fat.
It is high in kilojoules.
It leads to greater hunger and less satiety (the feeling of being full).
It can lead to cravings for salty and greasy foods.
Remember
It is unclear whether alcohol consumption is a risk factor for weight gain.
Drinking alcohol – particularly in excessive amounts - has many other serious health risks beyond possible weight gain, including high blood pressure, high
triglycerides
, insulin resistance, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and some cancers.
There is no safe level of alcohol during pregnancy.
Where to get help
Your
GP (doctor)
Alcohol and Drug Foundation - Drug
facts
External Link
Tel.
1300 858 584
Self Help Addiction Resource Centre
(SHARC)
External Link
Tel.
1300 660 068
Alcohol and other drug treatment
services
External Link
DirectLine
External Link
Tel.
1800 888 236
Your local community health
service
External Link
Family Drug Support
Australia
External Link
Tel.
1300 368 186
(national support line, 24/7)