Calorie Labels On Alcohol Products 'Are Needed'

Calorie labels should be introduced on bottles and cans of alcohol, the Local Government Association has said - amid warnings that drinkers have little idea about how many calories they are consuming during a night out.

The organisation, which represents 370 councils and deals with public health issues, believes drinkers are ill-educated on the health effects of alcohol.

Although many Britons are aware that the long-term consequences of drinking include liver damage and an increased risk of cancer, few realise that their favourite tipples contain hidden "empty calories" which offer no nutritional value - fuelling the country's obesity crisis.

Drinking five pints of beer over a 24-hour period is the calorific equivalent of eating more than three burgers, and it takes 90 minutes of rigorous exercise to burn it off.

Only 20% of the public knew there were 228 calories in a large glass of wine in a recent survey, with the rest making an incorrect guess or admitting they didn't know the answer.

Meanwhile, just 10% were aware that a pint of lager has 180 calories.

Dr Sarah Jarvis told Sky News she was "amazed at how little people understand" about the calories in alcohol - and warned they are contributing considerably to weight problems in the UK.

"I think if people genuinely did understand how many calories they were putting into themselves it might make a difference," she added.

The LGA is calling on breweries and alcohol manufacturers to "show leadership in tackling the obesity crisis" by introducing calorie labels - and has pointed to research which suggests that two-thirds of the public would support such a scheme.

Councillor Izzi Seccombe, the LGA's community wellbeing spokesperson, said: "Prevention is the only way we are going to tackle the obesity crisis, which is costing the NHS more than £5bn a year.

"It's all about giving people the right information about the calories they are consuming. This saves money for other parts of the public sector by reducing demand for hospital, health and social care services, and improves the public's health."

However, the LGA may face some resistance from manufacturers, as some breweries claim it takes away "too much space on the bottle" which they want to make their products look distinctive.

Yesterday, the Daily Mail reported that drinkers are going to be advised to cut back on alcohol for at least two days a week as part of new public health guidelines.

A report by chief medical officer Dame Sally Davies is expected to warn Britons that there is no "safe" alcohol limit, and even drinking small amounts could cause illnesses including cancer.

The recommended maximum daily intake for men may also be lowered to the same level as women.