Alkohol in Der Ernährung

1/09 8 Alcohol forms a significant component of the diet in many countries. Nationwide studies indicate an average per capita consumption of about 10–30 gram per day or about 3–9% of the daily energy intake. In the United States, the per capita consumption of alcohol shifted from 1.3% of daily energy intake in 1965 to 4.5% of daily energy intake in 2002 (1). The efficiency with which alcohol energy is used in the body has not yet been clearly established. In an overview of 38 studies: 12 reported a positive correlation between alcohol intake and body weight; 12 a negative correlation; and 14 no correlation (2). Therefore it was not possible to draw a conclusion on the relationship between moderate alcohol consumption and body weight from the epidemiological studies. Interestingly, in the majority of the studies reporting a positive correlation between alcohol intake and body weight the correlation was restricted to men while in the majority of the studies with a negative correlation between alcohol intake and body weight the correla tion was restricted to women. One explanation for the discrepancy in results might be the pattern of alcohol consumption (3). Subjects consuming two drinks each day might have a lower risk to gain weight than those who consume the same amount only in the weekend. Alcohol seems to supplement rather than displace food derived daily energy intake. Even in heavy drinkers the average energy intake excluding alcohol is the same as in non-drinkers, i.e. drinkers have a higher energy intake than non-drinkers and the difference in energy intake between drinkers and non-drinkers seems to be equivalent to the energy value of the alcohol consumed. In epidemiological studies consumers of alcohol have been shown to have a higher daily energy intake. Thus, the lack of relationship between the apparent alcohol energy surplus and body mass index has lead to the suggestion that alcohol energy has a low biological efficiency. Alcohol calories count the same as other calories (4) or do not count the same as other calories (5). The effect of alcohol on energy balance will be discussed by a detailed analysis of the interaction between alcohol intake and food intake and the interaction be tween alcohol intake and energy expenditure. Subsequently, the conclusions from the two analyses are combined with the epidemiological data on alcohol intake.