Korea Health Promotion Institute: "The Claims Are Not True"
Expert: "Alcohol Actually Interferes With Fat Burning"
Recently, incorrect health information such as "drinking alcohol helps you lose weight" has been spreading online. In response, the Korea Health Promotion Institute has emphasized the importance of choosing accurate information.
On August 29, the Korea Health Promotion Institute pointed out that posts claiming "a Harvard University study found that moderate drinking aids weight loss" are circulating, but this is not true. The study in question was not conducted by Harvard University, but rather involved approximately 57,000 Japanese adults and analyzed changes in blood cholesterol levels according to drinking habits.
The study found that after drinking, levels of HDL, known as "good cholesterol," tended to increase, while levels of LDL, known as "bad cholesterol," tended to decrease. However, there was no mention of a direct link to weight loss. The researchers also emphasized that excessive drinking is harmful to health.
Experts explain that alcohol actually has a negative effect on weight loss. This is because 1g of alcohol contains about 7 kcal, making it high in calories, and it is usually consumed with snacks or side dishes. Lee Haejung, a professor of food and nutrition at Gachon University, said, "Alcohol is metabolized first in the body as a toxic substance, which interferes with fat burning and increases the likelihood that the energy from food will be stored as fat," adding, "Ultimately, this can lead to weight gain."
The Institute warned that false or exaggerated health information can threaten public health, and advised health information producers to use clear expressions, base their content on evidence, specify sources and dates, and indicate whether there is any advertising or sponsorship. The Institute also recommended that users follow five guidelines: check the source, check the purpose, check the date, compare and review, and maintain reasonable skepticism.
Kim Hyunju, President of the Korea Health Promotion Institute, stated, "There is no such thing as safe drinking for health," and emphasized, "Exaggerated information claiming that alcohol helps with weight loss can easily lead to excessive drinking, so special caution is needed."
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