By David Liu, PHD

Wednesday Dec 26, 2012 (foodconsumer.org) -- Some lifestyle parameters such as physical exercise and non-smoking, and moderate alcohol drinking may improve the outcome of cardiovascular disease, according to a study in European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

J. S. Munter from Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam in The Netherlands and colleagues conducted the study and found low physical activity, current tobacco smoking, and nondrinking were associated with 88, 63 and 52 percent increased risk, respectively, for hospital admission for cardiovascular disease.

The study was intended to examine the association between physical activity, smoking, and alcohol intake and cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related hospital discharge/admission among different ethnic groups including South Asian Surinamese, African Surinamese, or Dutch descent in the Netherlands.

The study was based on data from 370 South Asians, 689 Africans, and 567 Dutch participants aged 35-60 years enrolled in the SUNSET study between 2001 and 2003 and dismissed from the study in Dec. 2007.

The researchers did not find a statistically significant effect of ethnicity on these associations. 

They concluded "We did not find a different association across ethnic groups of South Asian Surinamese, African Surinamese, or Dutch descent between physical activity, smoking, and alcohol intake and 5-year hazard of a CVD (cardiovascular disease)-related hospital discharge."

Although drinking alcohol was found associated with reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, alcoholic beverages are known carcinogens, that is, they can cause cancer.  Because of this, U.S. physicians recommend that if you don't drink, don't get started, and if you drink, drink in moderation.