Photo credit: Yui Mok - WPA Pool/Getty Images

From Town & Country

It turns out an extra beer or glass of wine might actually help you live a longer life.

The 90+ Study, led by University of California neurology specialist Dr. Claudia Kawas, found that among roughly 1,600 nonagenarians (people between the ages of 90 and 99), those who consumed approximately two glasses of beer or wine a day improved their odds of living longer than those who did not, by about 18 percent.

"I have no explanation for it, but I do firmly believe that modest drinking improves longevity," Kawas said in her keynote address at the American Association for the Advancement of Science's annual conference in Austin, Texas, where the results were presented.

The study, which began in 2003, also found - surprisingly - that people who were overweight (but not obese) in their 70s lived longer than normal or underweight people did.

"It’s not bad to be skinny when you’re young, but it’s very bad to be skinny when you’re old," Kawas said in her address.

Finally, staying busy also seems to improve life expectancy. Study participants who spent two hours a day on a hobby were 21 percent less likely to pass away prematurely, while 15 to 45 minutes of daily physical activity also reduced the risk of an early death by 11 percent, the Independent reports.

[editoriallinks id='5cc060dc-db1f-4f07-b572-dd2c6478e36f'][/editoriallinks]

You Might Also Like