If beer drinkers read this news, they probably won’t feel good.
Lager drinkers tend to have poorer diets, exercise less, and smoke more cigarettes than people who drink wine, liqueurs, or a combination. discovered in new research.
Researchers compared the diets of more than 1,900 American drinkers. 38.9% consumed only beer, 21.8% consumed only wine, 18.2% consumed only liqueurs, and 21% consumed a combination of alcohol types.
None of the groups achieved a score of 80 on a 100-point scale, which is considered an adequate diet. healthy eating indexa measure of dietary quality in the United States.
Wine drinkers scored 55 points, alcohol-only drinkers and combination drinkers scored almost 53 points, and beer drinkers had the lowest score (49 points).
The researchers found that beer drinkers were more likely to be male, younger, smokers, have lower incomes, had the highest daily caloric intake, and had the lowest physical activity levels.
Beer may be a popular choice in places where the diet is low in fiber and high in carbohydrates and processed meats, said Dr. Madeline Novak, lead author of the study and chief resident in the internal medicine residency program at Tulane School of Medicine. I reasoned.
Wine, especially red wine, is often paired with a more balanced meal that includes meat, vegetables and dairy products, Novak added.
She also suggested that the opposite is true, that dietary choices influence alcohol preferences. For example, fried or salty foods may encourage beer consumption.
Regardless of the reason for drinking, Novak noted that alcohol abuse is the leading cause of cirrhosis in the United States, and fatty liver disease associated with metabolic dysfunction (MASLD) is rapidly becoming more common.
“Both types of liver disease often coexist, and lifestyle changes are key to managing and preventing these diseases, starting with understanding the link between alcohol consumption and malnutrition,” said Novak. said.
She encourages patients to share their alcohol consumption habits with their doctors, including the type of alcohol they consume.
Stephanie Schiff is a registered dietitian nutritionist. Huntington Hospital at Northwell Healthalso suggests that physicians and dietitians discuss alcohol consumption with patients.
“Alcohol was once thought to be good for your health, but this is slowly becoming less so. Even red wine doesn’t have the health benefits it once did,” the new study says. said Schiff, who was not involved. “The public can do some good by cutting down on alcohol and eating a healthy, mostly whole foods, plant-rich diet.”
Novak will present his findings Sunday at a conference sponsored by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.
Her study had some limitations, such as participants reporting their own eating and drinking habits, which may not have been accurate.
The results will also be published in the journal Nutrients. 2006 Danish study This suggests that wine drinkers eat healthier diets than ale drinkers.
Research shows that wine drinkers buy more olives, fruits, vegetables, poultry, cooking oil, low-fat cheese, milk, and meat, while beer drinkers buy more cooked meals, sugar, cold meats, potato chips, and more. It turns out that he prefers pork, butter, and margarine. Sausage, lamb and soft drink.
