Coffee lovers rejoice! A new study has suggested that drinking 3-5 cups of coffee per day could cut an individual's cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality risk by up to 21 percent.
The Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee's study highlights that the lowest CVD mortality risk is seen at an intake of approximately 3 cups of coffee per day, with a percentage risk reduction of up to 21 percent.
The study suggests an association between coffee consumption and CVD risk, proposing a "U-shaped" pattern whereby optimal protective effects were achieved with 3-5 cups of coffee per day.
Drinking 3-4 cups of coffee per day is associated with an approximate 25 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to consuming none or less than 2 cups per day.
People with diabetes typically have a higher CVD mortality risk and therefore, this association may be linked to a decreased CVD risk. In males, a combination of 5 healthy behaviours (a healthy diet, moderate alcohol consumption (10 to 30 g/ day), no smoking, being physically active and having no abdominal adiposity) could prevent 79 percent of myocardial infarction events.
Half of CVD cases in women could be avoided by modifying lifestyle choices, as approximately 73 percent of CHD cases and 46 percent of clinical CVD are attributable to an unhealthy lifestyle.
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The report concludes that recent research supports the view that moderate coffee consumption at approximately 3 - 5 cups per day may have a protective effect against CVD mortality risk.
It is important to note that results differ between varying populations; it is suggested that 2 cups of coffee per day may offer the greatest protection in a Japanese population, whilst 3 cups may provide the greatest protection in UK and US populations.