“Wine has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.”

Dr. Ramon Estroche, President of the Foundation for Research in Wine and Nutrition (FIVIN), is Senior Consultant in the Internal Medicine Service at Hospital Clinic de Barcelona and Associate Professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Barcelona. Last October, he also chaired the conference's scientific committee Lifestyle, diet, wine and health 2023.

How do you evaluate the celebration of the international conference that you chaired?

After the pandemic it was necessary to be able to collect Principal researchers Learn about nutrition and health in a forum where the latest developments in lifestyle, diet, wine and health can be discussed face to face. Joe from Brothers I happiness Which greatly facilitated the relationship between the participants The five continents. It was a complete success.

What was the main outcome of the conference?

It is difficult to summarize the information in conclusion 26 sheets. However, I would like to highlight the essential role it plays LifestyleThe Mediterranean diet should include its basic pillars: olive oil, whole grains, wine… in Maintain health And prevention of most chronic diseases Such as cardiovascular diseases, neurological diseases, diabetes, and cancer.

“Poor dietary habits determine the prevalence of the most common chronic diseases.”

How important is food to live longer and better?

Food is a major determinant of health. It is known that Bad eating habits They largely determine the prevalence of the most common chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease and cancer. In this same context, The longest-living countries in the world They are Spain and Italy, while Japan ranked fourth. These first places are mainly attributed to Mediterranean lifestyle More specifically, the diet of these countries: the Mediterranean.

This conference has presented, through scientific evidence, the potential benefits of wine consumption, what benefits will you highlight?

The basic mechanisms responsible for most chronic diseases are: Oxidation that day ignition. Wine, like other polyphenol-rich foods such as extra virgin olive oil, has significant activity Antioxidants I Anti-inflammatory. To this must be added a blood pressure lowering effect because it stimulates the synthesis of powerful nitric oxide Vasodilatorimproving lipid profile by increasing HDL (good) cholesterol and reducing LDL (bad) cholesterol, which also has an insulin-sensitizing effect, improving glucose metabolism and Reduces the incidence of diabetes. Finally, wine also has an effect Anticoagulant By reducing platelet aggregation, inhibiting the formation of clots and facilitating their disintegration if they occur, which constitutes an additional mechanism of protection against myocardial infarction, stroke and peripheral arterial disease.

“Global deaths of moderate drinkers are lower than those of abstainers.”

The “J curve” is reaffirmed. that it?

There are several studies that have observed that the relationship between alcohol consumption and mortality from any cause follows a J curve: abstainers have a certain mortality rate, Moderate alcohol drinkers have a lower death rate (20% less) and from certain doses of alcohol (generally 40 g/day) the mortality rate gradually increases following the long arm of J. This curve has been much discussed over the past 20 years, but despite all the criticism, mainly related to Deaths among those who abstain from voting, latest studies They continue to confirm this. At present, no one, or very few, doubt that global mortality, especially cardiovascular disease, among moderate drinkers (especially wine) is lower than among abstainers.

We are talking about moderate consumption, and I can specify the dose that this moderate consumption requires?

In defining moderate consumption It differs between men and womenBecause the latter are more sensitive to the toxic effects of alcohol. Currently, moderate consumption is considered to be up to 1 to 2 drinks per day for women and up to 2 to 3 drinks per day for men. Ideally, always with meals Leave it for a day or two Without consuming alcohol.

“Moderate consumption is considered up to 1 to 2 drinks per day for women and up to 2 to 3 drinks per day for men.”

What is the purpose of the Lifestyle Matters Declaration?

Due to the great controversy that has arisen in recent years as a result of studies of the global burden of disease Global burden of disease It was published in The Lancet in 2018 which concluded that ideal alcohol consumption should be 0 and that in a later study (2020) of the same group and published in the same journal it was concluded that moderate drinkers would have lower mortality than abstainers. , it was deemed necessary to announce an announcement that would highlight it The importance of a healthy lifestyle on healthA lifestyle that includes a healthy diet such as the Mediterranean diet with a matching glass of wine with every meal. This declaration was signed by the majority of scholars who attended the conference.