By Choi Sung-jin
Koreans used to say, "The fat you get from alcohol won't go away easily." A foreign market research company's recent report seems to back it up.
Out of 24 countries, all but one have higher daily calorie consumption from alcoholic drinks than sugary beverages. The highest calorie intake from alcoholic drinks is in Korea, with nearly 168 calories a person each day and only 44 calories from soft drinks, the Guardian reported based on a report released by Euromonitor International.
Following Korea were Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, Finland, Japan, Russia and France. The United States was not included in the survey. Taiwan was the only country that gets more calories from sweet drinks than alcohol.
Sugar has been targeted by health experts and obesity campaigners, the report said, adding that little has been said or done about alcohol, which the new data suggests is more significant than sugary drinks in adult obesity.
Yet a large glass of 13 percent wine contains 228 calories and a 500-cc beer of 4 percent, 160 calories. In most countries, alcoholic beverages are exempt from having to provide calorie information. But the public has the right to know what is in their drinks so they can make informed choices about their consumption, said health expert Sarah Peterson.
"These labels should make the public aware, for example, that a pint of standard-strength beer contains around 180 calories, about the same as a package of crisps, and that a large glass of wine contains around 200 calories, roughly equivalent to the calories found in a doughnut," she said.
Stressing that the finding does not let sugar off the hook, she said: "Tackling alcohol consumption is also crucial to combating obesity, which can lead to heart disease, diabetes and cancer and is in danger of crippling health systems around the world."
Koreans used to say, "The fat you get from alcohol won't go away easily." A foreign market research company's recent report seems to back it up.
Out of 24 countries, all but one have higher daily calorie consumption from alcoholic drinks than sugary beverages. The highest calorie intake from alcoholic drinks is in Korea, with nearly 168 calories a person each day and only 44 calories from soft drinks, the Guardian reported based on a report released by Euromonitor International.
Following Korea were Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, Finland, Japan, Russia and France. The United States was not included in the survey. Taiwan was the only country that gets more calories from sweet drinks than alcohol.
Sugar has been targeted by health experts and obesity campaigners, the report said, adding that little has been said or done about alcohol, which the new data suggests is more significant than sugary drinks in adult obesity.
Yet a large glass of 13 percent wine contains 228 calories and a 500-cc beer of 4 percent, 160 calories. In most countries, alcoholic beverages are exempt from having to provide calorie information. But the public has the right to know what is in their drinks so they can make informed choices about their consumption, said health expert Sarah Peterson.
"These labels should make the public aware, for example, that a pint of standard-strength beer contains around 180 calories, about the same as a package of crisps, and that a large glass of wine contains around 200 calories, roughly equivalent to the calories found in a doughnut," she said.
Stressing that the finding does not let sugar off the hook, she said: "Tackling alcohol consumption is also crucial to combating obesity, which can lead to heart disease, diabetes and cancer and is in danger of crippling health systems around the world."
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