(DH) Drinkers pile on the pounds

New stats reveal England's calorific alcohol intake

The average wine drinker in England now consumes around 2,000 calories from booze alone each month, new figures out today show. Over a year this is equivalent to 38 extra roast beef dinners or almost 184 bags of crisps.

Two fifths (42 per cent) of women surveyed by the Government's Know Your Limits campaign admitted they didn't know that a glass of white wine has the same calorie content as a bag of crisps. Two large glasses of white wine not only put a woman over the recommended daily limit for alcohol consumption but - at approximately 370kcals - also provide her with nearly a fifth of her daily calorie allowance.

Similarly, two fifths of men (40 per cent) aren't aware that a pint of lager has as many calories as a sausage roll. A beer-drinker knocking back just five pints a week would add a whopping 44,200 calories over a year, equivalent to 221 doughnuts.

But additional calories don't just come from the alcohol consumed. More than one in three drinkers (37 per cent) admit they are likely to eat more than they usually would or ditch the healthy diet when drinking above their recommended daily limits. Almost one in three (29 per cent) drinkers order crisps, nuts or pork scratchings to accompany their booze, while 19 per cent regularly opt for a takeaway to grab a pizza, burger, bag of chips or kebab when drinking more than two pints of beer or two glasses of wine.

The new Know Your Limits figures also suggest that the 'morning after' sees us pack away yet more calories. Almost two thirds of drinkers (62 per cent) who normally eat a bowl of cereal or muesli for breakfast ditch it in favour of less healthy breakfasts to help them through their hangover. To settle their stomachs after drinking more than the recommended daily limits, over a quarter (28 per cent) turn to a fry-up, bacon or sausage sandwich, or takeaway breakfast from a fast-food chain. Swapping a bowl of cereal for a fry-up can add an extra 450 calories, on top of the alcohol calories consumed the night before.

Health Minister, Phil Hope said:

"Regularly drinking more than our recommended daily limits can have a knock on effect on our health - including an expanding waistline.

"It's not only the calories in the drinks themselves that can help to pile on the pounds, we're also more likely to eat fatty foods when we've had one too many. To avoid piling on the pounds we should try to drink within the recommended limits, eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly."

Heather Caswell, spokesperson for the British Nutrition Foundation added:

"Many women don't know that two large glasses of white wine not only puts them over the recommended daily limit for alcohol consumption, but also provides them with nearly 20 per cent of their daily calorie allowance, at approximately 370kcals in total.

"Most people would baulk at consuming a full glass of single cream, but wouldn't think twice about a couple of pints. But the calorie content is similar and, over time, excess alcohol intake is likely to lead to weight gain. Sticking to sensible drinking habits and keeping to the recommended units will not only help keep off those extra pounds but will also help decrease your risk of serious health problems, such as some types of cancer and liver disease."

The British Nutrition Foundation offers some top tips for minimising calorie intake:

* Stick to your daily recommended units: men should not regularly drink more than 3-4 units of alcohol a day; women should not regularly drink more than 2-3 units a day. As an indication, a pint of lager (ABV 5.2%) and a 250ml glass of wine (ABV 12%) both contain 3 units of alcohol.

* Alternate an alcoholic drink with a glass of water - this will help to prevent you becoming dehydrated.

* Don't drink on an empty stomach. If you do reach for snacks while drinking, opt for a healthier option: choose a sandwich instead of crisps or chips; choose a chicken burger without mayonnaise instead of a kebab with garlic sauce.

* Drinking in rounds can mean you end up drinking more than you intended. Opt out and drink at your own pace.

* Try cutting down with a friend, as you'll be more likely to stick to it with moral support.

* Eat a healthy dinner before you start drinking. Order or cook before you start drinking so you're not tempted to go for the less healthy options.

* Pace yourself by taking small sips.

* Avoid 'binge drinking' - some people are under the misapprehension that they can 'save' their units to splurge at the weekend.

* If you're drinking white wine, why not add a splash of soda water to help the same number of units last longer?

(DH) Restaurants and catering companies bring in calories on menus

Eighteen major catering companies, including many high street brands, will introduce calorie information on their menus for the first time.

The list of trailblazers, announced today by Public Health Minister, Dawn Primarolo and the Food Standards Agency will start displaying calorie information from the end of April. The list includes workplace caterers, sit down and quick-service restaurants, theme parks and leisure attractions, pub restaurants, cafes and sandwich chains. This will benefit individuals and families who are trying to choose a healthier diet.

Companies involved include a number of well-known high street names and several major contract caterers:

* Burger King
* Compass Group UK and Ireland - in a number of Royal Mail staff restaurants
* The Co-operative Expresso cafes
* ISS Mediclean - in a number of London hospital restaurants
* KFC
* Marks & Spencer Cafes
* Chessington World of Adventures theme park, operated by Merlin Entertainments
* Harvester restaurants and Scream pubs, operated by Mitchells & Butlers
* Pizza Hut
* Pret A Manger
* Sainsbury's Cafes
* Sodexo - in a number of client restaurants in its corporate and defence sectors
* Subway
* Tesco staff restaurants
* Unilever staff restaurants (in partnership with Sodexo)
* Waitrose Cafes
* Wimpy
* 7 Day Catering - in college restaurants

By June, more than 450 food outlets across the country will have introduced calorie information - some of these will be on a pilot basis. Each company has agreed to:

* display calorie information for most food and drink they serve;
* print calorie information on menu boards, paper menus or on the edge of shelves; and
* ensure the information is clear and easily visible at the point where people choose their food.

Making calorie information available at the point of choice is the first and simplest step, which will lead to more clarity for people when eating out.

Dawn Primarolo, Minister for Public Health said:

"We know that people want to be able to see how many calories are in the food and drink they order when they eat out.

"I want to see more catering companies join this ground breaking first group to help their customers make healthier choices."

Tim Smith, chief executive of the Food Standards Agency said:

"We are pleased that such a diverse range of companies has agreed to work with us by introducing calorie labelling at the crucial point where their customers make a decision about what to eat.

"Our aim is to ensure that consumers have better information so they can make informed choices to improve their diet when eating out, whether that is a snack on the go, a meal in a staff restaurant or at a table being served by a waiter."

Independent research will assess how easily customers understand and use the system and gather feedback from the restaurants themselves to look at practical issues and the costs involved in providing the information. Gathering this data will inform the next steps for a wider rollout of calorie labelling on menus.

Research published by the Food Standards Agency last year showed that consumers would welcome simple, clear and visible nutrition information when eating out. This research followed a survey carried out by the Food Standards Agency in June 2008, which suggested that 85 per cent of consumers agreed that restaurants, pubs and cafes have a responsibility to make clear what is in the food they serve. More than 80 per cent of respondents said that nutrition information would be most useful if provided at the point they choose to order food, such as on menus or menu boards.

The names of the 18 companies introducing calorie information on their menus are published today in the first annual report of the Government's obesity strategy 'Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives - One Year On'. The report sets out the Government's efforts to tackle obesity over the last year and plans going forward.

Speaking about the publication, Dawn Primarolo said:

"Today's report builds on the bold ambition we set out in our obesity strategy 'Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives' last year.

"It reveals we've made a good start - there are early signs that we may be halting the rise in childhood obesity. But there's still more to do and this report highlights the importance of working to tackle obesity in adults too."

Children's Minister Delyth Morgan said:

"We are all too aware of the health risks associated with adult obesity, which it why it is vital we act to prevent children, the adults of tomorrow, becoming obese. We must continue to help children lead healthy, active lifestyles and develop good eating habits which they can take into their adult lives. This is a complex challenge but we've made a great start with a revolution in the quality of school meals and the success of the PE and sport strategy, which means more children are playing sports at school than ever before.

"The report today outlines how we plan to go further. We are giving parents personal advice on how to prevent their children becoming obese through the Change4Life campaign, extending the mandatory nutritional standards to secondary and special schools this September and introducing an enhanced Healthy Schools programme to help schools do more to promote healthy habits. The new and refurbished play areas that are opening around the country will increase children's opportunities to be active outside home and school."