Years of sitting in an office chair or on a couch can have deadly long-term health effects, but a regular cup of coffee might mitigate these risks, according to a new study.
Researchers at Soochow University in China have discovered that daily coffee consumption may protect against the negative health impacts of sitting for six or more hours a day. The study, which analyzed data from over 10,000 people in the United States, found that sedentary coffee drinkers were 1.58 times less likely to die from any cause over a 13-year period compared to their non-coffee-drinking counterparts.
This study is the first to examine how coffee’s health benefits could counteract the increased mortality risk associated with prolonged sitting. Using long-term, nationally representative health data from the US, researchers found that coffee consumption nullifies the link between sedentary lifestyles and deaths from cardiovascular disease and all causes.
This finding is remarkable, considering previous studies have suggested that even regular exercise may not completely negate the long-term health risks of prolonged sitting, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, or stroke.
Among the 10,639 participants in the study, those who sat for more than eight hours a day had a higher risk of death from all causes and cardiovascular disease compared to those who sat less than four hours daily. This aligns with previous research, but the new study reveals a unique insight: the harmful effects of prolonged sitting were observed only in adults who did not consume coffee.
Sedentary individuals who drank coffee experienced a reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease, regardless of the number of cups consumed daily. Moreover, those who drank more than two and a half cups a day had a lower risk of all-cause mortality compared to non-coffee drinkers who also sat for at least six hours.
The study does not explain why coffee might have this protective effect, but previous research has linked coffee consumption to longer and healthier lives. Caffeine in the blood has been shown to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Even decaffeinated coffee, rich in antioxidants, can boost metabolism and reduce inflammation, and certain compounds in coffee may protect the brain from degenerative diseases like Parkinson’s.
While these associations are promising, further research is needed to determine the ideal dosage and understand the mechanisms behind coffee’s health benefits. Earlier this year, another study found that colorectal cancer patients who drank at least five cups of coffee daily had a 32 percent lower risk of disease recurrence compared to those who drank fewer than two cups. Additionally, three to five cups of coffee per day were linked to the greatest reduction in all-cause mortality, though benefits decreased after five cups.
The researchers at Soochow University conclude that given coffee’s complexity, further investigation into its health benefits is warranted.