The Study
1,864 men and
women were selected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey who
reported drinking alcohol on one of their 24 hour dietary recalls and not the
other. The amount of calories consumed on drinking versus nondrinking days were
compared. When drinking alcoholic beverages, men consumed an extra 168
non-alcohol calories with increases in saturated fat, sodium, meat, and
potatoes. Women consumed a nonsignificant 93 more calories on days when they
drank alcohol and consumed a higher amount of saturated fat. The authors noted that alcohol has been shown
in the research literature to influence food related hormones. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
2013; 97:1068-75.
Take Home Message
If weight loss
is your goal, you need to limit the alcohol. Alcohol is calorie dense at 7
calories per gram, and does tend to increase food intake. I have my weight loss
clients shoot for no more than 4 drinks per week.
Soda and heart
disease in kids
The Study
Everyone knows
that sugar sweetened beverages, like soda and fruit drinks, are not the
healthiest choice, but a recently published study in adolescents is truly
eye-opening. 1,433 Australian teens had their sugar sweetened beverage
consumption measured by a food frequency questionnaire at age 14 and 17. Girls
who consumed the most sugar based beverages (greater than 1.3 servings per day)
had a 3.8% increase in their BMI, a 5 times greater risk of overweight or obesity,
and a 3 times greater prevalence of risk factors for heart disease. Girls who
consumed the most of these beverages also had a significant increase in
triglycerides, systolic blood pressure, waist circumference, and a decrease in
HDL cholesterol. Boys who consumed the most sugar sweetened beverages had a
significant decrease in HDL cholesterol and significant increases in
triglycerides and waist circumference. American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2013; 98:327-34.
Take Home Message
We have known
for some time that soda and fruit drinks are associated with weight gain. The
increases in risk factors for heart disease in the children in this study are
alarming, to say the least. Soda’s and fruit drinks need to be strictly
limited, or better yet, completely avoided.
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