An old saying goes, "People drink when they're happy, and people drink when they're sad." New research has found that to be somewhat true, uncovering a link between alcohol consumption, depression and obesity, especially in young women. The relationship between alcohol abuse and obesity is even more confounding, yet it is an important relationship to understand.
Calories in Alcohol
The extra calories consumed by drinking alcohol may lead to weight gain and eventually, obesity. According to BBC News, many people are unaware of just how many calories alcoholic beverages actually contain. The Department of Health recently completed research showing that a regular beer drinker who drank on average four pints of beer each week consumed just as many extra calories in one year as if he had eaten 221 extra doughnuts that year. Over time, the extra caloric intake from beers, wines and hard liquors can lead to obesity.
Alcohol and Fat Metabolism
Alcohol may lead to obesity because of the way fat is stored after alcoholic beverages are consumed. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, alcohol is fat-sparing, meaning it will be burned for fuel before the body burns any fat for fuel. Therefore, when alcohol is consumed in excess of the body's daily energy needs, it is harder for the body to burn fat, and more fat is stored, leading to weight gain.
Alcohol Abuse
A Science Daily report using data gathered by researchers in Seattle found that women with a history of alcohol abuse by the age of 24 were more than three times as likely as those without alcohol abuse to be obese by the time they were 27 years old. The exact reasons are not known, though it is speculated that there are many different reasons that alcohol abuse increases the likelihood of obesity.
Depression
The links between depression and alcohol and between depression and obesity are confusing yet pertinent. Science Daily reports that women who were obese by the age of 27 were twice as likely to be depressed by age 30 than those who are not obese. They also found women who were depressed by age 27 have an increased likelihood of drinking alcohol and an increased risk of alcohol abuse. It can be inferred that depression may drive some people to drink alcohol, which causes them to gain more weight.
Eating Habits
BBC News found that after a night of heavy drinking, many people begin the next day with a large, high-calorie breakfast. The altered eating habits that may stem from drinking alcohol also can increase the risk of obesity. Science Daily says many people even skip food in favor of alcohol or eat less-expensive junk foods as opposed to healthier foods, so that they can drink more alcohol.
