| Beer Belly Science | | | | more details of food consumption, exercise, health |
| The proverbial beer belly may be a myth. Yup, that's | | | | status, etc., they might have found a clearer picture |
| what scientists in Britain and the Czech Republic have | | | | of the role of beer as a source of simple |
| discovered. Based on a survey of almost 2,000 | | | | carbohydrates in the overall diet and lifestyle of |
| Czechs, who are generally regarded as the world's | | | | Czech men and women. |
| biggest beer drinkers, researchers found no link | | | | Beer is a great subject for serious science, so this |
| between the amount of beer they drink and the size | | | | isn't the end of the story by any means. Indeed, |
| of their stomachs. | | | | another study may actually be closer to showing the |
| How did a scientific research project find that what | | | | fat-retaining consequences of beer drinking. This |
| we all know to be true - that people are obese | | | | second study found that drinking a lot of beer quickly |
| because they drink too much beer - is all wrong? | | | | is associated with a beer belly. So if you drink 10 |
| Here's how the data stack up. Men drink an average | | | | beers twice a week, you are more likely to grow |
| of 3.1 liters (roughly 3 quarts, or eight 12-ounce | | | | that protrusion out front. However, if you drink 2 |
| bottles) of beer each week, and women drink about | | | | beers 5 times a week, you won't . |
| 10% of that amount. Just 3% of the men drink more | | | | The trick is that, if you are going to enjoy two |
| than 14 liters (37 12-ounce bottles) and only five of | | | | delicious beers almost every night of the week, you |
| 1,098 women regularly drink about half that quantity. | | | | have to incorporate them into your eating plan as a |
| Doctors measured weight, waist to hip ratio (WHR), | | | | source of calories. Drinking late is like eating late, and |
| and body mass index (BMI). In men the beer intake | | | | this is a big no-no for getting rid of a fat belly. |
| was weakly associated with WHR, although only | | | | Can you really get a beer belly from drinking alcohol? |
| among nonsmokers. Beer intake had no relationship | | | | We do know that there is a link between drinking |
| to BMI. In women, there was no relationship at all | | | | excess alcohol and gaining belly fat - alcohol itself is |
| between beer consumption and WHR, and a weak | | | | high in calories and acts like a carbohydrate on your |
| inverse association with BMI. (Inverse association is | | | | metabolism. Alcohol consumption also increases |
| science-ese that means BMI was lower among | | | | appetite, so you tend to eat more when you drink |
| drinkers.) Conclusion: It is unlikely that beer drinking | | | | alcoholic beverages. However, medical scientists are |
| has anything to do with obesity. | | | | still not sure exactly why drinking too much alcohol |
| Nutritionists all over the world have hit the panic | | | | causes increases belly fat in particular. |
| button on this one. No surprise there. Of course, the | | | | The bottom line on this subject is that drinking in |
| take home lesson is not to drink more beer. It is that | | | | moderation, watching what you eat while drinking, |
| lots of other factors contribute to being fat. In fact, | | | | and drinking during regular meals is not going to put |
| it is almost impossible to point to just one cause for | | | | on fat or keep you from getting rid of it when you |
| gaining belly fat. If the researchers had surveyed | | | | launch your fat burning program. |
