Dieters should remember to count the calories in alcohol when they are trying to lose weight, a charity has said.

The calories in alcoholic drinks account for a significant proportion of a drinker’s calorie consumption while providing little, if any, nutritional benefit

Slimming is one of the top New Year resolutions, but people often forget the calories in alcoholic drinks.

Cutting down on drinks could help people lose weight which, in turn, could reduce their risks of deve-loping cancer, according to the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF).

Being overweight is the biggest cancer risk factor, after smoking.

The charity has produced an online alcohol-calorie counter which equates drinks to an easily understandable comparison. For example, a pint of lager has the same calorie count as that contained in three chocolate digestive biscuits.

Kate Mendoza, head of health information at WCRF, said: “The calories in alcoholic drinks account for a significant proportion of a drinker’s calorie consumption while providing little, if any, nutritional benefit. Cutting down on drinking can have a big effect on weight loss or maintaining a healthy weight.

“Recent reports have shown that people are unaware of calories in drinks and don’t include them when calculating their daily consumption. This is important from a cancer perspective because after smoking, being overweight or obese is currently the biggest risk factor.

“There is also strong scientific evidence that alcohol itself is a cancer risk factor, possibly through damaging our DNA, in cancers of the breast, bowel, mouth, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus and liver.”

• To look at the new calorie counter visit http://wcrf-uk.org/cancer_prevention/health_tools/alcohol_calorie_calculator.php