The effect of alcohol on resting metabolic rate.

1. There was a significant increase in oxygen consumption in ten women after small intakes of alcohol. 2. No significant difference was found between the average increase in metabolic rate over 3 h after an isoenergetic meal of food or of food plus alcohol. However, during the last half of the 3 h postprandial period, the increased O2 consumption was significantly greater after the meal including alcohol. 3. Possible explanations for the contradictory results in the literature are discussed.