Miami: Moderate alcohol consumption can help you live to a ripe old age, scientists at the University of Florida have discovered.

A study of the drinking habits of more than 2,400 adults in their seventies found that those who consumed one to seven drinks a week were likely to live longer and have fewer heart attacks.

They were put into different classes of drinking: ‘never or occasional’ drinkers who consumed less than one drink a week, ‘light to moderate’ (one to seven drinks) or ‘heavier’ (more than seven). During a five year period five 397 died and 383 had cardiac trouble, such as a heart attack or heart failure.

It was discovered that those who drank lightly to moderately had a 26 per cent lower risk of death and an almost 30 per cent reduced risk of cardiac trouble. But heavy drinkers were more likely to die or experience cardiac trouble than those who drank the least.

Researchers, who published their findings in the Archive of Internal Medicine concluded that the health effects of alcohol are linked to reduced levels of inflammation.