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SAN DIEGO — If you’re a regular drinker, your choice of alcoholic beverage could be impacting your overall health more than you realize. A new study has found that people who only drink beer tend to have significantly poorer diets compared to wine and liquor drinkers.
The research analyzed data from over 1,900 current drinkers in the United States. By looking at each participant’s consumption of different types of alcoholic beverages and their scores on the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), the study uncovered some concerning trends.
“Beer-only drinkers were more likely to have lower income, higher rates of cigarette smoking, and insufficient physical activity compared to other alcohol consumers,” explains study author Peng-Sheng Ting, M.D., a gastroenterologist at Tulane University, in the journal Nutrients. “In the fully adjusted multivariable model, beer-only drinkers had an HEI score that was 3.12 points lower than wine-only drinkers.”
The HEI is a standard measure of diet quality, with higher scores indicating a healthier overall diet. Ting’s team found that beer-only drinkers scored particularly low in several key areas, including consumption of refined grains, vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats.
“Alcohol overuse is the leading cause of cirrhosis in the U.S., and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is rapidly increasing,” says Madeline Novack, chief resident at Tulane School of Medicine’s internal medicine residency program and lead author of the study, in a media release. “Both types of liver disease often coexist, and lifestyle changes are key to managing and preventing these conditions, starting with understanding the link between alcohol use and poor nutrition.”
Interestingly, the study found that liquor and cocktail drinkers, as well as those who consumed multiple types of alcohol, had HEI scores similar to wine-only drinkers. This suggests that the type of alcohol consumed, not just the amount, may play a role in overall dietary habits.
The researchers speculate that cultural norms and social contexts around drinking different beverages influence the foods people tend to pair with them. For example, wine is often enjoyed with a full meal, while beer is more commonly associated with snacks or pub fare.
Whatever the reason, the implications are clear: Your choice of alcoholic drink could be jeopardizing your health in ways you didn’t expect. For those struggling with liver disease or other conditions affected by diet, this new research provides an important wake-up call.
“Targeted patient education and public health campaigns may be effective in addressing the combined impact of alcohol consumption and poor diet quality on chronic disease risk,” the study authors write in their report.
Simply put, being mindful of your drinking patterns and making an effort to pair alcohol with healthier foods could go a long way. So, the next time you’re reaching for a cold one, consider swapping it out for a glass of wine or a mixed drink. Your body (and your waistline) may thank you in the long run.
Paper Summary
Methodology
The researchers used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a large, nationally representative survey that collects comprehensive health and dietary information from U.S. adults. They looked at 1,917 current alcohol drinkers aged 20 and older, classifying them into four groups based on their reported alcoholic beverage preferences: beer-only, wine-only, liquor/cocktail-only, and multiple types.
To assess dietary quality, the team used the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), a scoring system that evaluates factors like fruit, vegetable, and whole grain intake. They then ran statistical analyses to compare HEI scores across the different drinking groups, adjusting for various demographic, lifestyle, and health factors that could influence both alcohol consumption and diet.
Key Results
The study found some striking differences between beer drinkers and those who preferred other types of alcohol. Beer-only consumers tended to have lower incomes, higher rates of smoking, and less physical activity compared to wine, liquor, and multi-type drinkers.
In terms of diet quality, the beer-only group had the lowest average HEI score at just 49.3, versus 51.9 for the overall sample. They scored particularly poorly on components like refined grains, vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats. In contrast, wine-only drinkers had the highest HEI at 55.1, with the best scores for added sugars, vegetables, and fruits.
Even after accounting for factors like socioeconomic status, health conditions, and overall alcohol intake, the researchers found that beer-only drinkers still had significantly lower diet quality compared to wine-only consumers. Liquor/cocktail-only and multi-type drinkers, on the other hand, showed HEI scores on par with wine drinkers.
Study Limitations
As a cross-sectional study, this research can’t determine causality – it’s unclear whether beer drinking leads to poorer diets or if certain dietary patterns tend to attract beer drinkers. The data was also collected before the COVID-19 pandemic, so it’s unknown how drinking and eating habits may have changed in recent years.
Additionally, the NHANES survey doesn’t capture cultural or social context around alcohol and food pairings, which the authors suggest could play a role. The study population, while nationally representative, may underrepresent certain demographics, like unhoused individuals.
Discussion & Takeaways
The key takeaway from this study is that your choice of alcoholic beverage could have important implications for your overall health beyond just the direct effects of alcohol consumption. The researchers believe the social and cultural norms surrounding different types of drinking may influence dietary habits in complex ways.
For example, wine is often enjoyed with full meals, while beer is more commonly paired with less healthy snacks and pub fare. This could help explain the stark contrast in diet quality between wine and beer drinkers observed in the data.
Importantly, the findings suggest that addressing alcohol-related health issues like liver disease may require a more holistic approach that considers the interplay between drinking patterns and dietary quality. Targeted education and public health campaigns could be valuable in helping drinkers make healthier choices.
Ultimately, this study highlights the need for a more nuanced understanding of the complex relationship between alcohol and diet – one that extends beyond just the quantity of what we drink to consider the quality as well.
Funding & Disclosures
This research was supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health, including the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. The authors report no conflicts of interest.