Avoiding the Beer Belly

‘Beer belly’

There have long been comical jokes about “beer bellies” about people who carry extra weight around their midsection. Two carbohydrate diet books (“South Beach Diet” and “Suzanne Somers’ Fast and Easy”) also suggest beer specifically encourages fat deposit in this area.

The truth is, there is no such thing as a “beer” belly. Excess fat in any part of the body is caused by too many calories from any source and not enough exercise, according to published academic sources. If calories consumed exceed calories burned, fat will result.

Where fat is deposited on the body is mainly determined by gender and genetics, not by the type of food you eat.


Beer, and especially low carb beer, is enjoyed responsibly by many adults who also happen to be on weight-loss diets of all kinds. Beer has zero fat. Most light beers are low in carbs and low in calories.

No matter what kind of diet – low-carb, low-fat, low-calorie – is chosen, most doctors agree that the keys to weight loss are moderate food and beverage intake and regular exercise. Beer can be part of that kind of lifestyle for many adults.

We are not endorsing any particular diet or diet book, and we are certainly not saying that drinking beer will cause you to lose weight. Rather, we are providing accurate information for adults to determine what products can fit within their food and beverage choices.

We want any consumption of our beers to be by adults and to be responsible.