Beverage Consumption And Weight Management

Americans are consuming more calories than ever before and consequently are fatter than ever before. There is evidence that the recent increase in caloric intake is due in part to an increase in calories consumed in beverages. So then, is increased intake of caloric beverages responsible for a portion of America’s weight problem, and is reducing caloric beverage consumption an effective means to reduce body weight?

Researchers from Virginia Tech recently addressed these questions in a review published in the journal Eating Behavior. They wrote, “Existing evidence, albeit limited, suggests that encouraging water consumption, and substituting water and other energy-free beverages (diet soft drinks, coffee and tea) for energy-containing beverages may facilitate weight management. Energy-containing beverages acutely increase energy intake, however long-term effects on body weight are uncertain. While there may be health benefits for some beverage categories, additional energy provided by beverages should be compensated for by reduced consumption of other foods in the diet.”