How to get rid of a beer belly

With almost the same amount of calories as pure fat, drinking alcohol can mean you put on weight.¹ And if you’re putting on weight overall, it can show as a ‘beer belly’.

But does drinking alcohol make you more likely to put on weight around your middle, how dangerous is it, and how can you shift it? Read on to find out more.

What causes a beer belly?

Despite the name, the main cause of a beer belly is the high calorie content in alcohol, rather than beer in particular, or any other specific type of drink.

Consuming extra calories through drinking can lead to weight gain – including around your middle.^2,3

With around seven calories per gram, alcohol contains almost as many calories as pure fat. In addition, many alcoholic drinks are also high in sugar meaning you could be consuming lots of empty calories, which could lead to weight gain - including a beer belly - and put your long-term health at risk.

A typical pint of lager contains 180 calories, the equivalent to a slice of pizza. Stouts and ales can be as calorific as a whole bagel (around 250 calories) and a pint of cider can contain as many calories as a sugared doughnut (around 216 calories). Two large glasses of red wine are almost 20% of a man’s daily recommended intake of 2,500 calories, or 25% of a woman’s (2,000 calories).

Can men and women get a beer belly?

While the calories in alcohol mean they can be fattening for both men and women, including around the belly, it’s true that beer bellies are more typical for men.⁴

That’s because of differences in metabolism between men and women, which mean men typically put on more weight around their middle.⁵ Weight gain from any cause, including drinking, can also lead to weight gain elsewhere in men, sometimes causing the breasts to get bigger – this is often referred to as ‘man boobs’. And, quite distinctly,  there is an unconnected medical condition called ‘gynaecomastia’ which causes breast tissue to grow for some men who are long-term heavy drinkers that develop alcoholic liver disease.⁶

Hormonal changes for post-menopausal women can make it more likely they gain weight around the tummy area too.⁷ 

Tips to reduce your drinking

Can a beer belly harm your health?

Fat around the middle of your body is believed to be especially harmful, where it is laid down directly on and around the organs inside the abdomen (belly), including the liver. Over and above the risks associated with obesity, this specific type of ‘central obesity’ increases your risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and some cancers.⁸

Take the Drinking Check

How to get rid of a beer belly

If you’re overweight or obese, the NHS recommends eating a healthy reduced-calorie diet and exercising regularly.⁹

Burning off the 180 calories in a typical-strength pint of lager would take an average man 13 minutes of energetic exercise, such as running or playing football, 15 minutes of cycling, 20 minutes of swimming or half an hour playing golf.  And whatever exercise you do, the UK Chief Medical Officers’ low risk drinking guidelines recommend it’s safest to drink no more than 14 units a week, spread over three or more days with several drink-free days, and no bingeing.

Alcohol and sports performance

Drinking less could help you make healthier choices for your food too. That’s because drinking affects  your appetite,¹⁰ as well as making you less inhibited and therefore less likely to make healthy choices.¹¹

And when it comes to the calories from alcohol, there are a few simple things you can do to reduce your intake:

• Stick to the UK Chief Medical Officers' (CMO) low risk drinking guidelines of not regularly drinking more than 14 units a week (about six pints of typical strength lager, or five 175ml glasses of wine in total)
• Taking more drink-free days throughout the week can have benefits for your health, helping you cut down on calories and contributing to weight loss
• Swapping an alcoholic drink for an alcohol-free or low alcohol option could help you cut your calorie intake. All low alcohol drinks with 1.2% ABV or less (including all alcohol-free options) need to display nutritional information, including calories, on the label^12,13
• Don’t let alcohol get in the way of any planned exercise by avoiding drinking the night before. And having a night off from drinking could help your fitness performance¹⁴ 
• Use our Unit and Calorie Calculator to work out the number of calories in your drinks

Download the MyDrinkaware app to track and reduce calories and alcohol