Stay active, have a few drinks and live longer
Enjoying a glass of wine after a brisk walk in the park could be the key to a longer life, say Danish researchers.
According to a 20-year study of nearly 12,000 people, moderate drinking combined with leisure-time exercise is the best combination to prevent life-threatening conditions like heart disease.
In a study, published in the European Heart Journal, the researchers say that people who combine a modest tipple - defined as between one and 14 drinks a week - with regular exercise, are 44-55 percent less likely to die of heart disease than teetotal couch potatoes.
And people who don't drink alcohol plus don't exercise have a 30-49 percent higher risk of heart disease than those who either drink, exercise or both.
Moderate to high level of physical activity was defined as: light physical activity for more than four hours a week or more vigorous activity for two to four hours a week (brisk walking, fast cycling, heavy gardening, sports that cause perspiration or exhaustion), or vigorous physical activity for more than four hours a week, regular heavy exercise, or competitive sports several times a week.
"The lowest risk of death from all causes was observed among the physically active moderate drinkers and the highest risk among the physically inactive non- and heavy drinkers," says lead author of the study, Jane Østergaard Pedersen.
Previous research has shown that moderate drinking and exercise both reduce blood pressure, which has significant health benefits. But this is the first time scientists have quantified the benefits of both together.
The British Heart Foundation acknowledges that, "the combination of moderate drinking and physical activity appears to be a winning one in reducing the risk of fatal heart disease." However they warn that, "drinking too much starts to outweigh the benefits of alcohol intake and can increase your blood pressure."
A separate British study, carried out by the University of Cambridge and the Medical Research Council, reports that people who combine four healthy lifestyle habits - not smoking, getting exercise, drinking alcohol moderately, and eating five servings of fruit and vegetables a day - live an average of 14 years longer than those who don't.
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