Red Wine, Women, & Weight: What You Need to Know

You might have heard about a recent study suggesting that moderate alcohol consumption may help prevent weight gain. This study in the Archives of Internal Medicine─which surveyed nearly 20,000 American women age 38 and older─is the result of careful, credible research at the renowned Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital. In fact, the female subjects were followed for over 12 years before the conclusions were drawn: “Compared with nondrinkers, initially normal-weight women who consumed a light to moderate amount of alcohol gained less weight and had a lower risk of becoming overweight and/or obese during 12.9 years of follow-up.”1

It’s worth noting that although the study found "an inverse association between alcohol intake and risk of becoming overweight or obese for all four types of alcoholic beverages─red wine, white wine, beer and liquor─the strongest association was found for red wine.” The link between white wine and weight loss was “weak yet significant.” As interesting as this news is, we have to bear in mind that all alcoholic beverages are high-calorie, with a greater density at 7 calories per gram than either protein or carbs, both at 4 calories per gram. Fat still remains the highest source of calories at 9 calories per gram.

We're likely to agree that many factors played into this research. For example, women who consume red wine in moderation may also be more balanced in other areas of their lives, which would help keep weight in check. Also, many women tend to substitute alcohol for other potentially high-carb foods, whereas when men consume alcohol, they often add those calories to what they're normally eating. Additionally, women metabolize alcohol differently than men do.

The reality, as many of us know too well, is that after age 40, women are more prone to weight gain for several reasons─including changes in hormones and metabolic rate─so the more we can learn about lifestyle management choices that keep us healthy and trim, the better. Again, it’s not the good red wine alone, but the lifestyle you build around it. A votre santé!

1 Arch Intern Med. 2010;170(5):453-461