We’ve likely all heard that the occasional glass of wine can lead to a longer lifespan. Although we may have enthusiastically embraced this conventional wisdom, a new systematic review and meta-analysis suggests it may be based on flawed science. For years, numerous studies have indicated that moderate drinkers tend to live longer and have lower risks of heart disease and other chronic illnesses compared to non-drinkers, the press release states.
This led to a common belief that moderate alcohol consumption is beneficial for health. However, not all research supports this optimistic view, and the new analysis explains why. The study’s lead researcher, Tim Stockwell, is a scientist with the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research at the University of Victoria.
He earned his doctorate at the Institute of Psychiatry, University of London. Mr. Stockwell spoke to The Epoch Times, explaining that past studies that found moderate drinking could benefit health had flaws in their fundamental design.
However, these comparison groups included older adults who had stopped or reduced their drinking due to various health issues. This means that the “abstainers” and “occasional drinkers” were not necessarily people who never drank or rarely drank but rather people who might have had to stop drinking because they were already experiencing health problems. This flawed comparison made moderate drinkers appear healthier by contrast.
“The more plausible interpretation is that.