Binge drinking gives men a bigger beer belly than regular tipple

London, Sept 2 (ANI): Five pints of beer in an evening can have greater effect on men's waist size than a regular tipple, suggests a British study.

The researchers found that men who binged had a waist size 2.3 inches (6cm) bigger than men who drank the same overall amount of alcohol but spread it out across the week.

It has been shown that abdominal fat can be more dangerous for the heart than fat carried around the bottom. It has also been linked to diabetes and heart disease.

However, in women the effect was even more pronounced, with binge drinkers having a waist four inches (10cm) bigger than non-bingers.

"Abdominal obesity is an important risk factor for diabetes and for cardiovascular disease," the Telegraph quoted Prof Martin Bobak, professor of epidemiology at University College London, as saying.

"The finding that binge drinking is related to abdominal obesity is therefore important for our understanding of the link between heavy drinking and these diseases," he added.

The findings were presented at the European Society of Cardiology in Barcelona. (ANI)