More calories from alcohol than soft drinks

A recent report on consumption patterns in 24 countries shows calories from alcohol generally exceed those from soft drinks, sometimes by a substantial amount.

In South Korea, alcohol consumption averages 168 calories per day, compared with soft drinks at 44 calories per day.

Alcohol calories topped soft drinks calories in 23 of the 24 countries studied including China, France, Germany, Japan, Russia and the United Kingdom. The UK margin is much narrower, between 106 calories from alcohol and 98 from sugar-sweetened soft drinks.

Only in Taiwan were soft drink calories higher than alcohol calories. The United States was not included in the study.

It’s clear that policy makers have to look at all calories when considering national diets, not just those that have the highest profile.