As reports filter out that the commission’s DG Sanco is going to be targeting alcohol consumption next, there are rumours that the Brussels wine lobby is distancing itself from the beer and spirits lobby – that they want to place clear blue water between them and the other drinks, which do not have wine’s “glass-a-day-keeps-the-doctor-away” reputation. Presumably because they want to escape the legislation predicted for the drinks industry. There is no honour among thieves!
But is the wine producers’ snobbishness justified? Not if a recent study by Danish researchers is anything to go by. Ditte Johansen and Morten Gronbek of the Danish National Institute for Public Health wanted to find out whether the wine is healthier than beer or whether it just that those who tend to buy wine tended to live healthier lives.
Data were taken from 3.5 million transactions at 98 Danish supermarkets over six months. – the modern supermarket data collection system gives gives a sample base that is unusually large for science, and indeed one wonders whether it can be used elsewhere. The authors noted that purchase records are a more reliable indicator of consumption than self reporting, which understate the quantities for heavy drinkers for reasons that do not take a genius to fathom.
The findings were as follows: “Wine buyers bought more olives, fruit or vegetables, poultry, cooking oil, and low fat products than people who bought beer. Beer buyers bought more ready cooked dishes, sugar, cold cuts, chips, pork, butter, sausages, lamb, and soft drinks than people who bought wine. Wine buyers were more likely to buy Mediterranean food items, whereas beer buyers tended to buy traditional food items.”
In other words wine itself is not necessarily healthier than booze; it could be merely that those who consume wine lead healthier lives (as well as being more educated, better off, etc). This backs up numerous scientigic surveys which haven’t penetrated the public consciousness
That small amounts of any alcohol are good for you. More investigations are clearly needed; but it could be that you might have to get back in the boat, wine lobbyists.
But is the wine producers’ snobbishness justified? Not if a recent study by Danish researchers is anything to go by. Ditte Johansen and Morten Gronbek of the Danish National Institute for Public Health wanted to find out whether the wine is healthier than beer or whether it just that those who tend to buy wine tended to live healthier lives.
Data were taken from 3.5 million transactions at 98 Danish supermarkets over six months. – the modern supermarket data collection system gives gives a sample base that is unusually large for science, and indeed one wonders whether it can be used elsewhere. The authors noted that purchase records are a more reliable indicator of consumption than self reporting, which understate the quantities for heavy drinkers for reasons that do not take a genius to fathom.
The findings were as follows: “Wine buyers bought more olives, fruit or vegetables, poultry, cooking oil, and low fat products than people who bought beer. Beer buyers bought more ready cooked dishes, sugar, cold cuts, chips, pork, butter, sausages, lamb, and soft drinks than people who bought wine. Wine buyers were more likely to buy Mediterranean food items, whereas beer buyers tended to buy traditional food items.”
In other words wine itself is not necessarily healthier than booze; it could be merely that those who consume wine lead healthier lives (as well as being more educated, better off, etc). This backs up numerous scientigic surveys which haven’t penetrated the public consciousness
That small amounts of any alcohol are good for you. More investigations are clearly needed; but it could be that you might have to get back in the boat, wine lobbyists.
