This US study investigated whether adherence to a Mediterranean-style eating pattern has the same positive effects in a US population, independent of lifestyle.
An inverse relationship between the Mediterranean-style eating pattern and the risk of type 2 diabetes was found for 12,000 individuals followed for 22 years. When food factors were examined, main foods driving and associated with the reduced diabetes risk included vegetables, fruits and seafood, and a higher consumption of nuts and legumes (8% respectively,) as well as the moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages (17%).

This analysis evaluates the relationship between moderate alcohol consumption and the risk of mild cognitive impairment. Excessive consumption which was defined as >16 drinks/week was related to a higher risk of progression to dementia, whereas low and moderate alcohol consumers had a decreased risk of progressing to dementia.

This US Health and Retirement Study investigated whether a relationship exists between the low to moderate consumption of alcohol and cognitive function or changes in cognitive function from middle age to older age among 20,000 adults followed for nine years. Similar to other Australian and international studies previously published, it found that moderate alcohol consumption may improve total cognitive function and delay mental decline in older individuals ̶ both women and men.

This Welsh study investigated whether the type of alcohol, alcohol drinking pattern or other lifestyle factors explains observed greater adverse effects from alcohol consumption among individuals of lower socio-economic status (SES). The conclusions of this study suggest that even for what are referred to as “wholly attributable, alcohol-related hospital admissions,” other factors associated with low SES may be more important than alcohol consumption itself as determinants of such adverse health outcomes.

This large European study examined whether different combinations of lifestyle factors are associated with years lived without chronic diseases. The results showed that the higher the number of healthy lifestyle habits, the longer was the lifespan without major chronic diseases (type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure, dementia). The longest life span free of disease was observed among those participants with a normal weight and two of the following lifestyle factors: never smoking, physical activity and moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages.

This multi-national study of 38 countries investigated the health effects of alcohol consumption in 135,4440 individuals aged over 65 years. Alcohol was currently consumed by 47.5% of individuals, 26.5% were past consumers and 51% were abstainers who had never consumed alcohol. Past alcohol consumption was negatively associated with better health although this association changed after approximately age 85. Abstinence was associated with the poorest health until after approximately age 95, particularly in women. Furthermore, regular alcohol consumption was associated with the best health between ages 65 and 85, and regular alcohol consumers had similar health to abstainers after approximately age 95.

This US study shows that the adherence to a healthy, low risk lifestyle is associated with a longer life expectancy at age 50 free of major chronic diseases ̶ for men approximately 7.6 years and for women 10 years compared to individuals with no low-risk lifestyle factors. Middle-aged women who reported drinking up to 15 g of alcohol/day and men who consumed up to 30 g of alcohol/day were less likely to prematurely develop heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

This paper discusses the relationship between a healthy lifestyle score and the risk of type 2 diabetes in 11,000 participants, initially free of type 2 diabetes, who were followed up for 12 years. Adherence to more healthy lifestyle factors, which included regular moderate consumption, reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 46% compared with individuals who adhered to less factors

20-year study where moderate alcohol usage included in a diet saw a substantially lower mortality rate