‘Alcohol Is Toxic, I’d Rather Use Cannabis’: Would Malta Stop Drinking To Lose Weight?
The Maltese have earned quite a reputation for their love of drink. But would they cut it out altogether if it meant losing weight?
A recent review by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) gave a snapshot of our alcohol-drinking patterns.
They found that people aged 15 and over drank roughly eight litres of pure alcohol per year. Think of that as three litres of beer every week.
But with alcohol comes calories, and with calories comes weight gain. The question yet remains – would Malta cut out alcohol if it meant losing weight? 460 respondents in the Lovin Malta Weight Loss survey gave us their answers.
1. The NO camp: “Life is too short not to enjoy the good things”
28% of all respondents wouldn’t give up alcohol if it meant losing weight, despite very different drinking habits.
“I drink wine with meals in the evening. It’s that part of the day where I unwind after work so it would be hard to cut it out.”
Most light-to-moderate drinkers did not feel the need to give up alcohol altogether.
“I have one or two drinks a week. Well below the daily limit. I don’t really need to give it up,” one person said.
Presently, the CDC recommends two drinks or less in a day for men or one drink or less in a day for women, on days when alcohol is consumed.
In fact, 44% of respondents claimed they drank one or two drinks per week, and 10% claimed they drank three to four. And 39% claimed they never drank. Particularly during weekdays.
There were other reasons for not wanting to give up the sauce.
“Alcohol is a coping mechanism to help me deal with an otherwise shitty life,” one respondent said. “Why deny me one of the simplest and best pleasures in life.”
Others were quick to argue the benefits of drinking alcohol with a meal. An argument that has its own scientific backing. We know from blue zone centenarians (people who live really long lives) that this can be true:
People in four out of five original Blue Zone areas drink alcohol moderately and regularly.
“It’s an important part of socialising. It’s one way to relieve stress and it could be good for you.”
Soft drinks were another common beverage enjoyed by survey partakers. Even those that consume alcohol. Could it be that perhaps it’s not so much the alcohol that’s the problem, but what we mix the alcohol with?
2. The YES camp: “Alcohol is toxic, I’d rather use cannabis.”
72% of respondents felt that cutting alcohol in order to lose weight was a good way to go. In fact, many respondents had either done it in the past with some success or were in the process of doing so.
“Alcohol is liquid calories, tried and tested for four weeks. Believe me, cutting down on alcohol works [for weight loss].”
“I gave up drinking booze three years ago, for health issues. It’s full of calories.”
Giving up alcohol may have been the way to go, but that didn’t mean it was a welcomed change. Given a choice between alcohol or food, however, people seemed more likely to throw out the booze.
“I would not struggle to cut out alcohol, but to be honest, a meal is not complete without a glass of wine.”
Should we give up alcohol to lose weight?
In a world dominated by food excess, cutting out empty calories would definitely be an important step in one’s weight loss journey. Be it from wine, junk food, or both. With most respondents keen to give up drinking if it meant turning their health around, the outlook could be a positive one.
Unfortunately, when it comes to alcohol, it doesn’t start and stop at calories. One study marked alcohol as an ‘appetite enhancer’ after finding that people who drank only half a shot of alcohol (20 grams worth) ate 11% more than those who abstained. The drinkers also experienced more cravings for the less healthful foods.
With Malta’s rising rates of obesity now reaching alarming levels, laying off liquor can be an avenue to explore.
What do you make of these numbers?