keep in mind alcohol is also poor diet - beer is especially heavy in carbs, very few alcoholic drinks are light really. alcohol is like having an extra side with a meal at least, but people would I think be more aware they were overeating if it was a plate of fries.
Absolutely. There are a lot of people who get a whole extra day of kcal worth of beer in a week. Additionally people who drink a lot pretty much stop eating because they opt for the liquid lunch etc.