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Alcohol as Food/Calories

  • Alcohol (RF Leeman, Section Editor)
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Abstract

There has been a call for reduced alcohol consumption among Americans in recent years as many drink above the recommended moderate drinking guidelines. Specifically, national public health goals include reducing the proportion of persons engaging in heavy episodic drinking and excessive drinking, as well as reducing the overall annual alcohol consumption. American dietary guidelines assert alcohol-attributed calories should be limited as alcohol is grouped into the allotment of calories associated with non-nutrient-dense foods. Based on current consumption trends, alcohol will likely remain a significant contributor to the overall caloric intake and diet of persons in the USA. This paper outlines the ramifications of alcohol as food/calories and also discusses evidence which highlights behaviors that people engage to offset consumption of alcohol-related calories. Implications include a discussion on how alcohol influences metabolic processes, results in an imbalanced diet, and exhibits a potential to lead to both malnutrition and weight gain.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health and Kinesiology, College of Education and Human Development, Texas A&M University, Blocker Building, Office 314C, College Station, TX, 77843, USA

    Adam E. Barry

  2. School of Human Services, University of Cincinnati, CRC Residence Hall, Office 6315A, PO Box 210068, Cincinnati, OH, 45221, USA

    Ashley L. Merianos

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Correspondence to Adam E. Barry.

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Adam E. Barry and Ashley L. Merianos declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Alcohol

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Barry, A.E., Merianos, A.L. Alcohol as Food/Calories. Curr Addict Rep 3, 85–90 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-016-0085-z

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