Search resultsDoes alcohol stimulate appetite and energy intake?
Title
Does alcohol stimulate appetite and energy intake?
Publication type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2006
Authors
Journal
British journal of community nursing
Volume
11
Issue
7
Pagination
298 - 302
Date published
2006
ISBN
14624753 (ISSN)
Keywords
Adult, alcohol, alcoholic beverage, Alcoholic Beverages, anorexia, appetite, caloric intake, clinical trial, controlled clinical trial, Cross-Over Studies, crossover procedure, drug effect, Energy Intake, Ethanol, evidence based medicine, Evidence-Based Medicine, human, Humans, methodology, nutritional value, Nutritive Value, randomized controlled trial, Randomized Controlled Trials, Research Design, review, Treatment Outcome, utilization review
Abstract
It has been anecdotally suggested that alcohol stimulates appetite and so increases energy intake in people who have poor appetite. This review sought to systematically review the evidence for this practice, using the mini-review approach (Griffiths, 2002). Among the eight studies reviewed, only one showed a significant difference in appetite ratings between the alcohol and no alcohol preload. However, significant differences were found in energy intake following a high-dose alcohol preload as opposed to a no-alcohol preload, in three out of the eight studies reviewed. One further study reported an increase in energy intake after the alcohol preload but this failed to reach statistical significance. In conclusion, the effect of alcohol on appetite appears largely unsubstantiated. Alcohol's effect on energy intake does appear significant, but further research is necessary owing to small sample sizes.