Pub furniture could be in for some welcome respite, as a survey published by the British Beer & Pub Association reveals many people would drink low-alcohol, low-calorie lagers due to their health concerns.
Although beer contains no cholesterol or fat, and only low levels of carbohydrates, it does have calorific content directly depending upon its strength.
For instance, 175ml of red or white wine contains 119 or 131 calories respectively at a strength of 12.5%; but 4% lager has just 96 calories per half pint, falling to 80 calories in 2.8% bitter.
The BBPA research reveals that calorific content of alcoholic drinks has made it into the minds of many members of the public, and that 30% of people consider low-alcohol beers to be ideal for daytime drinking on summer days - if the sun ever makes itself seen.
However, it seems that in many cases, the strain on pub furniture might already be less than people realise, with many people over-estimating the impact their drinking habits have on their weight gain.
The BBPA found that 60% of men and a massive 74% of women over-estimate the number of calories in beer, and 55% of people simply do not know how calorific normal alcoholic drinks are - leading BBPA chief executive Brigid Simmonds to suggest "beer in moderation" as a good way to cut calories during this summer of sport.