Alcohol consumption, nutrient intake and relative body weight among US adults

Data from the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (HANES I) were analyzed for differences in nutrient intakes based on the amounts of alcohol consumed by US adults, and for relationships between alcohol consumption, calorie intake, and relative body weight. Drinkers had significantly higher intakes of total calories than nondrinkers, but only because of their intakes of alcoholic calories. Among drinkers, the intakes of nonalcoholic calories decreased as alcohol intakes increased, and it was estimated that between 15 and 41% of the alcoholic calories replaced nonalcoholic calories. Despite their higher caloric intakes, drinkers were not more obese than nondrinkers, suggesting that alcoholic calories may be less efficiently utilized than nonalcoholic calories, or may interfere with utilization of nonalcoholic calories. The most salient difference in nutrient intake between drinkers and nondrinkers was the substantially lower carbohydrate intake of drinkers.