Your Choice of Drink May Matter More Than You Think, Study Finds
What Happened
A study of more than 340,000 adults followed for over 13 years found that heavy alcohol consumption increased the risk of death regardless of the type of drink consumed. However, among low-to-moderate drinkers, researchers found notable differences: wine consumption was associated with lower mortality risk, while beer, cider and spirits were linked to higher mortality risk. The study found that moderate wine drinkers had a 21% lower risk of cardiovascular death compared with people who rarely or never drank. Heavy drinker had a 24% higher risk of death from any cause and 36% higher cancer mortality risk.
Key Takeaways
Researchers cautioned that heavy drinking remained harmful across all beverage types and that the findings show an association, not proof that wine directly improves health.