Highlights of the 2nd international Lifestyle, Diet, Wine and Health congress in Rome
For the second time, international scientists met for a two-day congress to discuss the latest scientific findings on nutrition, prevention and health promotion.
The second edition of the Lifestyle, Diet, Wine & Health Congress (www.lifestyle-wine-congress.com) took place in Rome from March 26 to 28, 2025. Leading experts in the areas of nutrition, medicine and public health participated. The congress, organised this time by the Wine Information Council (WIC) in cooperation with the Institute for Wine, Health and Food Research (IRVAS) and Wine in Moderation, has become a meeting place for scientists from all over the world.
During the two-day event, international researchers and scientists discussed the role of healthy lifestyles, the Mediterranean Diet – including moderate wine consumption – in the prevention of chronic diseases (obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer) as well as their impact on health and quality of life in general.
Largest randomized controlled intervention – UNATI study
One of the main highlights was the contribution of Prof. Miguel A. Martínez-González, a medical epidemiologist and Professor of Public Health at the University of Navarra and Adjunct Professor of Nutrition at Harvard TH School of Public Health, who opened the congress on day 1. He introduced the European UNATI study (University of Navarra Alumni Trialist Initiative), funded by the European Research Council (ERC): It is the largest randomized controlled intervention trial which hopefully can give definite answers to the ongoing debate about the health effects of total alcohol abstinence versus moderate wine consumption within the Mediterranean diet. The study will involve more than 10,000 adults aged 50 to 75 and aims to provide scientifically validated answers to the question: is the complete elimination of alcohol actually healthier than moderate wine consumption within a Mediterranean Diet and Lifestyle? The results are expected for 2028/2029.
Cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death and modifiable lifestyle factors
Prof. Luc Djoussé, Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Associate Professor in Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and member of the NASEM Committee, emphasized that cardiovascular disease remains one of the leading causes of death and disability in developed countries, despite advances in biomedical research. He stressed the importance of identifying effective and accessible preventive strategies and highlighted that modifiable lifestyle factors such as a healthy diet, regular physical activity, adequate sleep, and moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages can reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and related risk factors such as type 2 diabetes, dyslipidaemia, and hypertension.
Sleep and physical activity
When it comes to lifestyle habits that can have a positive impact on health, the importance of regular physical exercise and sleep are often overlooked. Dr. David Thivel, University of Clermont-Auvergne and JP Chaput, Professor of Paediatrics at the University of Ottawa showed very well that improving physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviour a little bit every day can have a significant impact on health. A good quality sleep is not a waste of time, it is just as essential as diet and exercise in a package of good health and to live longer.
Mediterranean diet and Green MED
The positive role of the Mediterranean Diet with its polyphenol-rich foods such as fresh vegetables, fruits, extra virgin olive oil and moderate wine consumption was stressed throughout the congress. Adhering to this dietary pattern and minimizing the intake of processed foods is clearly associated with better health. The positive effects have been shown in adults but also in younger people. Therefore, it is important to educate the younger generation about the virtues of a good diet and its impact on health. It has also been demonstrated that the Med Diet can slow down the biological age (which reflects the true age of an individual’s body and how the cells are functioning, blood parameters, organs, etc.) as opposed to the chronological age which cannot be changed. On the contrary, a diet rich in ultra processed foods will accelerate the biological age.
Prof. Iris Shai of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and adjunct professor at Harvard University confirmed these observational data with randomized controlled trials conducted in Israel and other countries. According to her research: “InflammationInflammation is a type of nonspecific immune response that defends the body against the constant thr... is the holy grave of aging! “. Consequently, for healthy aging it is important to avoid and/or keep the inflammation in our bodies low. Prof. Shai‘s studies showed that the Mediterranean diet and the “green-MED” variant enriched with polyphenols—can support weight loss, improve cardiometabolic health, and reduce liver fat (steatosis). She placed particular emphasis on the role of polyphenols, including those found in red wine, as bioactive compounds capable of positively modulating metabolic mechanisms. Such eating pattern combined with physical activity can improve mental aging, the individual microbiota and positively influence gene expression (epigenetics) which can help us age more gracefully and maintain our health and well-being.
Moderate wine consumption in the context of Med Diet and cancer
Prof. Ramon Estruch, Director of the Department of Internal Medicine at the Hospital Clínic of Barcelona and scientific coordinator of the PREDIMEDThe PREDIMED study is one of the few randomized controlled trials about the Mediterranean Diet. More... study, presented new evidence on the association between moderate wine consumption and cancer risk. The data suggested that moderate wine intake as part of a Mediterranean diet, does not increase overall cancer risk and may even contribute to reducing the risk of certain types of cancer, because of the protective effects of polyphenols. He emphasized, however, that without the context of the Mediterranean Diet and consumed with the meal, even moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages may be associated with increased risk—particularly for breast cancer—highlighting the importance of considering wine in relation to the overall quality of diet and lifestyle.
Inconsistencies in scientific evidence
An important aspect of the congress was the session about inconsistencies in scientific evidence. The researchers presented different research designs and their limitations and advantages and illustrated very well limitations of epidemiological data. It was further shown how diverse the analysis of nutritional epidemiological studies can be depending on the analysis applied. Even using the same original study data but applying different analyses might result in opposite conclusions. The scientists emphasized using the highest quality of evidence and assessing the certainty of evidence with the GRADE approach when setting up trustworthy guidelines. They concluded that there is a definite need to train health professionals in assessing and interpreting study results in order to practice and apply evidence-based nutrition.
The Congress reaffirmed that health is not determined by any single food or lifestyle factor, but rather by the combination of healthy food choices and lifestyle habits. The experts stressed that the most effective anti-aging tools may not be drugs but not smoking, keeping a healthy body weight, being physically active and a good quality sleep, all factors that individuals modify themselves and which can contribute to a better and longer health. Polyphenol-rich diets such as the Mediterranean diet, including moderate wine consumption, can have a positive impact on our biological age and even moderate daily lifestyle changes can improve our general health. The results of the UNATI study are expected to influence future dietary guidelines and strengthen the role of the Mediterranean diet, and moderate wine consumption, as key elements in public health promotion.