People watching their weight should pay closer attention to how much alcohol they drink since it is second only to fat in terms of calorie content, experts have warned.

According to the World Cancer Research Fund, alcohol makes up nearly 10 percent of total calorie intake among drinkers, the BBC reported.

Having a large glass of wine will cost you the same 178 calories as eating two chocolate digestive biscuits and it will take you more than a half hour's brisk walk to burn off.

According to Kate Mendoza from World Cancer Research Fund, recent reports have shown that people are unaware of calories in drinks and don't include them when calculating their daily consumption, but unlike food, alcoholic drinks have very little or no nutritional value.

The 'empty calories' in drinks are often forgotten or ignored by dieters, says the WCRF.

Containing 7kcal/g, alcohol is only slightly less calorific than fat, which contains 9kcal/g.

Mendoza says that cutting down on drinking can have a big effect on weight loss or maintaining a healthy weight, along with reducing your risk of cancer.