Moderate wine consumption in the context of Med Diet is associated with lower cardiovascular disease and mortality risk
A recent study showed that the Mediterranean Diet (Med Diet) is associated with a 33% lower mortality rate when it includes moderate wine consumption.
The study researchers – among them Dr. Ramón Estruch of the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona and Dr. Miguel Ángel Martínez-González of the University of Navarra and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health – evaluated more than 30 000 participants during a follow up period of up to 22 years. They analysed the link between moderate wine consumption, adherence to the Med Diet and the risk of cardiovascular disease in 2 large Spanish study groups: the PREDIMEDThe PREDIMED study is one of the few randomized controlled trials about the Mediterranean Diet. More... and the SUN project.
They observed that a greater adherence to the Med Diet was related to a lower cardiovascular risk and a lower risk to die from any cause (total mortality risk). They noted that these associations were more pronounced when the dietary index included moderate wine consumption.
In particular, the results showed that adherence to the Med diet that includes moderate wine consumption was associated with a more marked reduction in cardiovascular risk than when the dietary pattern was analysed without taking this beverage into account.
Similarly, the combined analysis of both study groups found a significant association between moderate wine consumption within the Mediterranean pattern and lower overall mortality.
The authors emphasized, however, that these favourable effects were not observed with high consumption – 3-4 glasses of wine per day – and that some analysis designed to minimize bias and confounding did not reach statistical significance.
What is new?
What is new about this study is the integration of data from a randomized clinical trial such as PREDIMEDThe PREDIMED study is one of the few randomized controlled trials about the Mediterranean Diet. More... and a long-term prospective study (SUN project), which reinforces the robustness of the results and permits examining the specific role of wine in the Med Diet, which has not been addressed directly in previous research.
The results of the PREDIMEDThe PREDIMED study is one of the few randomized controlled trials about the Mediterranean Diet. More... trial, which included 7,447 participants at high cardiovascular risk followed for 4.8 years for cardiovascular events and 17 years for mortality, revealed that:
- Individuals who adhered closely to the Med diet, which included moderate wine consumption (up to one glass per day), had a 45% lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared to those who followed it less closely.
- In terms of all-cause mortality, the combination of the Mediterranean diet with moderate wine consumption was associated with a 33% reduction in the risk of death (total mortality).
- The PREDIMEDThe PREDIMED study is one of the few randomized controlled trials about the Mediterranean Diet. More... study confirmed that the benefits are observed with moderate consumption, but do not extend to high consumption (three or more glasses per day).
The SUN study group, which included 23,133 younger participants followed for 22 years, corroborated these findings. When the data from both studies were combined, it was observed that wine consumption in the context of the Mediterranean diet statistically significantly reduced total mortality. Thus, in individuals at high cardiovascular risk, high adherence to the Med Diet (excluding wine) reduced all-cause mortality (risk to die from any kind of disease) by 23%. An additional 10% in mortality (attaining a relative reduction of 33%) was observed when moderate wine consumption was included. This association was not observed in individuals NOT following a Med Diet.
Dr. Ramon Estruch (lead researcher of the PREDIMEDThe PREDIMED study is one of the few randomized controlled trials about the Mediterranean Diet. More... trial) emphasized “the importance of considering moderate wine consumption not as an isolated element, but as an integral part of a healthy eating pattern such as the Mediterranean diet, whose dietary model is rich in extra virgin olive oil, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and fish.”
Take home message:
The current rigorous scientific study provides solid evidence and reinforces the message that wine, consumed in moderation and as part of the Mediterranean diet, can be part of a heart-healthy lifestyle. Moderate consumption of wine/alcoholic beverages is associated with reduced all-cause mortality only when included in the Med Diet.
It is essential to emphasize that this study does not promote the initiation of wine consumption in teetotallers, but rather documents the potential benefits associated with moderate consumption within the framework of a healthy dietary pattern and a balanced lifestyle.
