A White Russian has 400 calories.
That might not be a concern on a Friday or Saturday night of fun, but a study published Feb. 15 that showed an association between drinking and being overweight might make a person think twice before ordering one.
Rosalind Breslow, co-author of the study, said alcohol has seven calories per gram. Consuming these calories isn't bad unless a person consumes many drinks, because the calories add up, she said.
Breslow said the study associates how much and how often people drink with their body mass. It indicates the average nonsmoking adult will have a greater body mass index if he or she consumes more alcohol.
The body mass index is the ratio of a person's weight over his or her height.
"People who drank the smallest quantity with the greatest frequency most days of the week had the lowest BMI," Breslow said.
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Those who drank the largest amount but not very often, about once a week, had the highest BMI, she said.
She said the study didn't specifically look at binge drinking, but the results of the study are consistent with binge drinking patterns.
The study surveyed 37,000 nonsmokers over the age of 18 across the country.
Breslow said although the study does not specifically apply to college-aged people, students should be concerned about the indications of the study.
She said 65 percent of Americans are obese, and being overweight increases the risk of diseases such as diabetes.
"Young people are probably not thinking about that," she said. "But it's important."
Jill Yeagley, program manager at the Campus Office of Substance Abuse Prevention, said she often hears from students concerned about their weight.
"Alcohol has a lot of calories, empty calories," she said.
She said the number of calories in alcohol isn't something many people think about, because they are concerned with food calories.
One 12-ounce can of beer has about 150 calories.
"I don't think that's a whole lot but if you go out and have four to five beers, you've had a meal's worth," she said.
Student Megan Fitzpatrick said the study made sense, adding she thought a lot of it had to do with lifestyle choices.
"Typically people who drink a lot have a different idea of lifestyle," she said.
She said most college-aged students know if they drink a lot of beer or alcohol, they're going to gain some weight. But, she said, calories weren't the first thing that came to mind when thinking about alcohol.
Breslow said the basic message is people who choose to drink should do so in moderation.
This means up to one drink for females and up to two drinks for males.
The study from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
