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A GLASS OF WINE A DAY MAY PROVIDE HEALTH BENEFITS

Researchers at the University of Newcastle say a glass of wine a day may be of benefit to the health of older women.  Moderate consumption of alcohol is associated with better survival and quality of life.

Researchers conducted a national survey of 12,432 older women using data from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. The women, who were aged 70 to 75 years when the study began, provided information on alcohol consumption and their health over six years by completing questionnaires.
Results of the study indicate that survival rates were lower in women who did not consume alcohol.  Indeed non-drinkers and women who rarely drink had a significantly higher risk of dying than women who consumed a low intake of alcohol.
The health benefits that moderate alcohol consumption can provide are likely to be multiple. Alcohol use can be associated with psychological and social well-being, which can be considered important health benefits in their own right. The social and pleasurable benefits of drinking, as well as the improved appetite and nutrition that may accompany modest alcohol intake, could also play a role.
The National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines recommend that women drink no more than two standard drinks a day on average, no more than four standard drinks on any one day and have one or two alcohol-free days a week.