Booze Research Breakthroughs

Heavy Drinkers Exercise More.

Beer Glass Shape Alters Drinking Speed.

Those were two recent studies on drinking that caught my attention and seem worthy of exploration and comment.

Let’s start with exercise.

Forget about all the negative things you’ve heard about drinking and exercise, particularly that people who drink exercise less.

Based on a number of studies, The San Francisco Chronicle and the NY Times have reported that people who exercise, drink more than those who don’t exercise. One study, from the University of Miami, concluded, “our results strongly suggest that alcohol consumption and physical activity are positively correlated… the association persists at heavy drinking levels.”

Turns out that, of those who exercised energetically, heavy drinkers (in past 30 days, 46+ drinks among women and 76+ drinks among men) worked out 10 more minutes than moderate drinkers and 20 more minutes than non-drinkers.

The researchers theorized that it might be a result of group sports and drinks afterward or, perhaps compensating for drinking by vigorous exercise.

I wonder — if I increase my workouts, can I have a second martini?

Perhaps I should change the glass I use?

The University of Bristol researchers, as reported by the BBC and The Guardian, claim that beer is consumed more quickly from a curved glass than a straight one. Apparently, the researchers think that curvy glasses make it harder to pace drinking. That’s because judging how much is in the glass is harder due to its curved shape. It took an average of 12 minutes to consume 12 oz. from a straight glass and 7 minutes from a curved glass.

I wonder who sponsored the research? Might have been brand managers pushing value-added packaging.