The article is part of a series of papers published in an open forum on wine, alcohol and cardiovascular risk. The analysis, encompassing various international studies, further confirms the agreement among researchers that any alcohol, in light to moderate intake, puts drinkers at lower risk for cardiovascular disease and death than non-drinkers.

"It is also known from a number of studies that wine drinkers in many cultures are from a higher socio-economic status and have a better diet than non-wine drinkers," states Professor Morten Gr nb?¦k, author of the article. This may be an important factor adding to the beneficial results of wine intake. The French are noted to have a relatively low rate of cardiovascular disease, despite high smoking rates and a typical high fat diet. The fact that the French consume more wine than Americans, for example, is a probable reason to explain this so-called paradox.

According to the article, substances in wine have been shown to share the characteristics of ethanol, which can help to prevent blood clotting, in addition to cardio-protective effects. Additional data revealed benefits from wine with regard to mortality from cancer, over other alcoholic beverages. Further evidence show that the disease fighting antioxidants present in fruit and vegetables, are also present in wine.

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Then, an average of nine years later, the researchers surveyed participants on their ability to perform 12 daily activities, such dressing and feeding themselves and walking across a room, known as activities of daily living; being able to cook and manage their money, known as instrumental activities of daily living; and being able to walk a quarter of mile and walk up 10 steps without resting, to measure functional limitations.

The study adjusted for other factors that could have affected the results “ such as age, education, smoking, and body mass index “ and found that higher amounts of dairy, fruits and vegetables were associated with lower risk of functional limitations. And, among black women, risk of disability was significantly lower.

The median servings for study participants consuming the highest amounts of the foods were two servings of dairy, three servings of fruits and three servings of vegetables. In contrast, median servings for participants consuming the lowest amounts of the foods were less than half a serving of dairy and one or less serving of fruits and vegetables. Current dietary recommendations call for three cups a day of low-fat or fat-free dairy products, two cups (four servings) of fruit and two and a half cups (five servings) of vegetables.

Houston said there are several ways that the foods could affect disability risk. The calcium and vitamin D in dairy foods may decrease the risk of disability associated with osteoporosis and decreased muscle strength. The antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables may reduce the accumulation of oxidative damage in tissues, which could slow disability associated with aging and decrease the risk of chronic diseases that can lead to disability.

Houston's co-researchers were June Stevens, Ph.D., Jianwen Cai, Ph.D., and Pamela Haines, Ph.D., all with the University of North Carolina at Chapel-Hill.

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