Alcohol and Obesity

The body mass index (BMI) of individuals who drink alcohol may be related to how much, and how often, they drink, according to a new study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health's National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). In an analysis of data collected from more than 37,000 people who had never smoked, researchers found that BMI was associated with the number of drinks individuals consumed on the days they drank. Calculated as an individual's weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared, BMI measures whether or not a person is at a healthy weight - low BMI values generally indicate leanness and higher BMI values indicate being overweight.

"In our study, men and women who drank the smallest quantity of alcohol - one drink per drinking day - with the greatest frequency - three to seven days per week - had the lowest BMI's," said first author Rosalind A. Breslow, Ph.D., "while those who infrequently consumed the greatest quantity had the highest BMIs." A report of the study by Dr. Breslow, an epidemiologist in NIAAA's Division of Epidemiology and Prevention Research and colleague Barbara A. Smothers, Ph.D., appears in the February 15, 2005, issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology.

"This is an important issue," said NIAAA Director Ting-Kai Li, M.D. "Obesity is prevalent in the United States and is a risk factor for numerous chronic illnesses and early death. Since alcohol use also is prevalent in this country, it is important to examine the relationship of quantity and frequency of consumption to body weight."

The researchers examined data collected from 1997 through 2001 in the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), a nationally representative survey of the U.S. population conducted each year by the National Center for Health Statistics. Drs. Breslow and Smothers compared survey respondents' alcohol drinking patterns with their BMI scores. Since previous studies have shown that smoking and drinking interact to influence body weight, the current study looked only at current drinkers who had never smoked.

Results of previous examinations of the relationship between drinking alcohol and body weight have been inconsistent. The authors noted that one possible reason for this is that prior studies used a different way of assessing alcohol consumption than did the current study.

"Alcohol consumption consists of two components," explained Dr. Breslow, "the amount consumed on drinking days (quantity), and how often drinking days occur (frequency). Previous studies generally examined drinking based only on average volume consumed over time. However, average volume provides a limited description of alcohol consumption as it does not account for drinking patterns. For example, an average volume of 7 drinks per week could be achieved by consuming 1 drink each day or 7 drinks on a single day. Average volume may not fully explain important relations between quantity and frequency of drinking and health outcomes such as obesity."

The authors suggested several possible reasons for the observed associations of both quantity and frequency of alcohol use with BMI.

"Alcohol is a significant source of calories, and drinking may stimulate eating, particularly in social settings," said Dr. Breslow. "However, calories in liquids may fail to trigger the physiologic mechanism that produces the feeling of fullness. It is possible that, in the long-term, frequent drinkers may compensate for energy derived from alcohol by eating less, but even infrequent alcohol-related overeating could lead to weight gain over time."

Dr. Breslow cautioned against inferring cause-and-effect relationships regarding drinking frequency, quantity and body weight from this study. The study points to the need for prospectively designed studies to determine whether certain drinking patterns constitute risk factors for overweight and obesity.

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All material contained in the Alcohol Alert is in the public domain and may be used or reproduced without permission from NIAAA. Citation of the source is appreciated.

How many meals a day?

Question: I have a question: if you need to gain weight, and you therefore eat more than 3 meals a day (lets say 6), until you have reached your desired weight, does the weight go down again once you return to 3 meals ? I know that weight is a result of calories in vs calories out, but sometimes you read things like ''you gain only fat if you eat big in one sitting''.
I am a hypoglycemia-patient and cannot eat so many times a day, it makes my blood-sugar level instable and I get dizzy.
So I have always only eaten 3 times a day.
So if I reach my goal weight eating 6 meals, how do I continue? Could you give me any advice please? And can I stick to my three meal a day plan ?
Thank you in advance!

Answer:

Maggie,

There's no agreement among experts regarding the best meal number and timing, no matter what for -- wight gain or weight loss. Meal composition seems to be more important: how much of each macronutrient (carbohydrates to fats to protein) you have.

However, one can choose an eating style that fits him or her better though in order to do it right, some self-education is needed. Here are some reading for you.

First of all, I recommend this very comprehensive muscle building manual by Tom Venuto -> click here

How many meals a day?
Q: I am aware of the requirements to eat 6 small meals but some days it is a real struggle to eat 3 meals per day...

Spacing meals
On the Bill Phillips Eating for Life meal plan, your menu provides six meals/snacks per day spread every two to three hours. This will keep your energy levels high, help keep your blood sugar stable, keep your cravings at bay and help keep you from eating all your food in one sitting. Your metabolism will stay active and you’ll see great results...

Meal frequency
Recently, the health benefits of so-called 'nibbling versus gorging' phenomenon, when starchy meals are eaten frequently but in smaller amounts, is broadly discussed...

How to Be a Building Muscle Machine


Tanya Zilberter, PhD

20 Easy Ways to Burn 100 Calories

By Raphael Calzadilla, B. A., CPT, ACE
eDiets Chief Fitness Pro

"Imagination is more important than knowledge."
-- Albert Einstein

Sometimes when we're working long hours or jammed with extra responsibilities, we tend to forgo our workouts until things calm down. Instead of bailing on your exercise plan, I recommend following Einstein's suggestion -- use some imagination.

I'm providing 20 easy and surefire ways to burn 100 calories. You might want to add one per day or a few per week. Try not to look at it as, "this isn't enough." Instead, focus on the cumulative effect. Meaning, if you perform even just one of these activities per day, that's 700 calories burned in a week and 2,800 burned in a month. That will make a difference.

Here's my top 20 in no particular order. Have fun!

1. Vacuuming -- 25 minutes of vacuuming around your home will burn just about 100 calories.

2. Gardening -- Like to garden? It's the digging and raking that will reap the most fitness benefits. These are the bigger calorie burners when it comes to gardening. In fact, you can burn up to 100 in just 15 minutes with these movements.

3. Walking -- The easiest and one of the most natural movements known to human beings. Fifteen minutes of brisk walking will burn approximately 100 calories. A brisk daily walk at lunch time or after work will make a difference.

4. Jogging in place -- Need a quick pick me up before work? Jog in place for 12 minutes and burn a little more than 100 calories.

5. Dancing -- 20 minutes of dancing at a moderate pace will burn 100 calories. C'mon, you know you love to do it, so have some fun with it.

6. Ironing clothes -- If you have to do it for the whole family you might as well know the calories you're burning. Just a bit more than 100 calories in 25 minutes.

7. Badminton -- A casual, noncompetitive, 20-minute game of badminton will get you to the mark, and it's a lot of fun.

8. Housework -- Vigorous housework for 20 minutes will burn a little more than 100 calories. You have to do it, so why not make it count?

9. Volleyball -- Twelve minutes of volleyball is all it takes to reach our magic number. Not a bad way to burn some calories while on the beach.

10. Biking -- How about a light bike ride in the summer? A light intensity of approximately 10 mph will burn more than 100 calories in just 40 minutes.

11. Golfing -- Just 20 minutes of golf will burn 100 calories.

12. Swimming -- I'm not referring to swimming laps or training for the Olympics. Just a 15-minute leisurely swim will get us to our goal.

13. High-impact aerobics -- You might wonder why I would include this. It's not like you're going to aerobic class for 10 minutes. However, if you're pressed for time or working long hours, invest in a fun aerobic videotape and use it for 10 minutes (after a warm-up) each day. That's close to 120 calories in just 10 minutes.

14. Car waxing -- Forget the car wash. Do it yourself on a hot summer day. Just 20 minutes of waxing your car will burn more than 100 calories.

15. Frisbee -- A fun 30-minute Frisbee toss with your kids or a friend will burn up our needed calories, and it's a bit more pleasurable than a boring jaunt on the treadmill.

16. Take the stairs -- If you work in an office building, take the stairs instead of the elevator. Approximately 20 minutes will burn about 100 calories. You don't have to do it all at one time. Just make sure to spread it out during the day.

17. Pushing baby stroller -- Pushing a stroller burns approximately 60 calories in 20 minutes. No problem, two nice and easy 20-minute strolls per day will get the job done without even breaking a sweat.

18. Mowing the lawn (self-propelled mower) -- 25 minutes and you've burned about 100 calories. Just like cleaning, it needs to be done so put a little oomph into it.

19. Painting -- Need to paint a room in your home or apartment? You can burn approximately 100 calories with 20 minutes of painting. Plus, you get a better-looking room at the same time.

20. Weight training -- 15 minutes of vigorous weight training will burn approximately 100 calories. You don't have to workout forever. Just three 15 to 20 minute session per week will keep your bones strong, muscles tight -- and you'll keep burning calories after your workout.

Now go burn some calories, but check with your doctor before starting this or any exercise program.

*All counts are based on a 150-pound individual.

Looking for more information of this sort? Join eDiets and visit Raphael’s support group (Fitness For You) for interactive support! We all know fitness is a vital part of living a healthy lifestyle -- let Raphael and eDiets help you on your way!