Teetotalers live shorter lives than heavy drinkers, study says

According to a new paper (PDF) published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, while it's not clear why, researchers have found that abstaining from alcohol increases the risk of death and that abstainers also live shorter lives than alcoholics.

One to three drinks a day is considered moderate drinking, and moderate drinkers have the lowest mortality rates in alcohol studies. Moderate drinking, especially when choosing red wine, can improve heart health and social interaction. But even after accounting for almost every imaginable factor: socioeconomic status, physical activity, number of close friends, social support, and so on, the researchers found that the highest death rate over the past 20 years was among teetotalers, the second highest among heavy drinkers, and the lowest among moderate drinkers. The 20-year study sampled 1,824 people aged 55 to 66 with a three-year history of outpatient visits, but the sample had a drawback: 63 percent were men. During those 20 years, just over 69 percent of those who died were teetotalers, 60 percent were heavy drinkers, and 41 percent were moderate drinkers.

Source: Solidot