But why would abstaining from alcohol lead to a shorter life? Even after controlling for nearly all imaginable variables - socioeconomic status, level of physical activity, number of close friends, quality of social support and so on - the researchers (a six-member team led by psychologist Charles Holahan of the University of Texas at Austin) found that over a 20-year period, mortality rates were highest for those who were not current drinkers, regardless of whether they used to be alcoholics, second highest for heavy drinkers and lowest for moderate drinkers.
但為什么滴酒不沾的人反倒活得短呢？即便拋開所有想得到的可變因素，如社會經濟地位、身體狀況、好友數目、社會支持等，研究人員（由德克薩斯大學心理學家查理斯-霍拉漢帶領的六人研究小組）歷時20年的研究發現，不管他們以前有沒有飲過酒，滴酒不沾的人死亡率是最高的，第二高時酗酒者，死亡率最低的是適度飲酒者。

One important reason is that alcohol lubricates so many social interactions, and social interactions are vital for maintaining mental and physical health.
一個重要的原因是，飲酒有助于人際交往，而人際交往時保持身心健康的重要因素。