The weight loss experts said more needs to be done to educate the public, after an all-party group of MPs called for alcoholic drinks to carry tobacco-style health warnings.
“Our research also shows a lack of awareness of the calories in alcoholic drinks, so we believe that more needs to be done to make the public aware of the fact that alcohol contains calories in itself, by putting calorie labels on alcoholic drinks,” said Dr Jacquie Lavin,
Slimming World’s Head of Nutrition and Research.
“There is currently not enough guidance for the public on how drinking more than the recommended amount of alcohol can impact on weight.”
The All Party Parliamentary Group on Alcohol Misuse is also backing a crackdown on advertising for alcoholic drinks, minimum unit pricing, and a reduction in the drink-drive limit.
Tory MP Tracey Crouch, who chairs the APPG, said:
“We don’t have a standardised approach at the moment in the UK and, whilst I accept the drinks industry is trying to improve its responsibility deal and get better labelling on alcohol products, I do think that it needs to come quicker.
“We do have a problem with alcohol consumption in the UK and we’re not talking about a single measure that is going to be a panacea, but what we’re looking at is a whole package of measures.”
Slimming Worldrecently published a report that showed that most people have a tipping point of around 9.3 units of alcohol. Consuming that amount of alcohol, the equivalent of 3.7 pints of beer or 3.1 large glasses of wine, leads to consuming 6,300 extra calories in food and alcohol over the course of an evening and the next day.
Dr Lavin said:
“Alcohol stimulates appetite, makes us want to eat more unhealthy foods and lowers our inhibitions, all of which can lead to us making unhealthy choices – without even realising how many more calories we’re consuming.”
“When we drink beyond our tipping point we’re likely to continue to eat unhealthily the next day, cancel physical activity plans and have disrupted sleep.
“With the average tipping point typically occurring after only three to four drinks it’s clearly very easy for people to drink enough alcohol to experience these changes in their behaviour.
“The Government has stated its commitment to tackling both obesity and binge drinking, but we believe more needs to be done to increase people’s awareness of the link between the two.
“Our research suggests that people who consume large amounts of alcohol in a single sitting are more likely than people who drink within the recommended guidelines to pass their tipping point, which could lead them to drink more, eat more and be less active.
“We believe that information on the link between drinking too much alcohol and the lifestyle choices that affect our weight should be built into all public health communications. Our research shows a lack of awareness of the calories in alcoholic drinks and we believe that calorie labels should be put on all alcoholic drinks. Alcohol doesn’t only contain calories that don’t fill us up as food does, it also makes us feel hungrier and weakens our resolve to make healthy choices. Making people more aware of this will give them the information they need to take personal responsibility for their weight.”