BistroMD’s Founding Physician Explains Why Alcohol Consumption Is a Factor in Nation’s Growing Obesity Epidemic
April 26th, 2011 // 1:59 pm @ jmpickett
NAPLES, Fla., April 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — With April marking National Alcohol Awareness Month, Caroline J. Cederquist, M.D. shares new evidence that shows America’s alcohol consumption is contributing to the nation’s growing obesity epidemic.
“Alcoholic beverages give us a fake sense of feeling full,” says Dr. Cederquist. “Scientific studies show that when we drink alcoholic beverages, this fluid intake typically isn’t sufficient to trigger production of the hormones that alert the brain that you are full. This is called ‘satiety’ and most of us use it as a trigger to stop eating.”
Caroline J. Cederquist, M.D. is a board-certified bariatric physician, and the founding physician behind BistroMD, the number one physician-designed, chef-prepared diet meal delivery program in the nation.
“As a physician who specializes in the field of weight management, I work with many patients in regards to alcohol consumption, and the negative impact it can have on their diet,” says Dr. Cederquist.
Due to their high carbonation and dehydrating effects, alcoholic beverages give us a bloated feeling that can be mistaken for feeling full. When we strictly drink alcohol without eating a nutritious meal, our bodies take in empty calories, which prevents our metabolism from getting the energy it needs to burn excess stored fat.
“What most people don’t realize is that alcohol keeps the liver busy, because it immediately begins working to detoxify the body of alcohol,” says Dr. Cederquist. “When the liver is occupied, fat breakdown and weight loss come to a halt. Additionally, alcohol only provides empty calories, as it lacks protein and vitamins that you get from food. If your body is not getting the appropriate balance of essential nutrients from food, then your metabolism won’t be able to break down this fat, and you will keep gaining weight.”
Beer alone is a $47 billion a year industry, and with many people turning to alcohol for comfort in stressful economic times, the rise in alcohol sales has contributed to the increase of overweight Americans.
“With recent spikes in alcohol sales, it is no surprise that there have also been increases in statistics of overweight Americans, as well as those suffering from obesity and other health-related conditions,” says Dr. Cederquist.
In recognition of National Alcohol Awareness Month, it’s important that you are aware of the negative effects alcohol can have on your diet.
“If you are going to drink, do so in moderation, which means an average of one to two drinks per day for men, and one drink per day for women,” says Dr. Cederquist. “It’s also important to make sure that you eat a well-balanced meal that has quality lean protein like chicken or fish, but still contains a good combination of vegetables and complex carbohydrates and other nutrients, before you start drinking. This will still fuel your metabolism, without ruining your weight loss progress.”
