A glass of wine or beer a day could keep the doctor away, according to a major new study into alcohol consumption among older Australians.
The Monash University-led research has shown moderate alcohol intake in older Australians is better for heart and overall health than having no alcohol.
The study, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, looked at 18,000 adults in Australia and America, who had an average age of 74, for more than four years.
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It found those who drank between five and 10 standard drinks a week showed a much lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those who had no alcohol.
However, the lead author of the study, Professor Johannes Neumann, has warned the findings need to be interpreted with caution.
The study participants were all initially healthy without prior cardiovascular disease or other severe conditions, and may have been more physically and socially active than the wider ageing population.
