Tired parents rejoice! Coffee drinkers appear to live longer

As if we needed an excuse for another cup of coffee...

Scientists have found that people who consume one cup of coffee a day are 12 percent less likely to die compared to those who don't drink coffee. Scientists from the University of Hawaii Cancer Center and the Keck School of Medicine published the findings of their large scale study today in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The ongoing Multiethnic Cohort Study has more than 215,000 participants and is thought to be the most ethnically diverse research project examining lifestyle risk factors that may lead to cancer. The researchers found that drinking coffee was associated with a lower risk of death due to heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and respiratory and kidney disease in various ethnic groups. People who consumed a cup of coffee a day were 12 percent less likely to die compared to those who didn't drink coffee. This association was even stronger for those who drank two to three cups a day, who had an 18 percent reduced chance of death. Veronica W. Setiawan, lead author of the study and an associate professor of preventive medicine, says lower mortality was present regardless of whether people drank regular or decaffeinated coffee, suggesting the link is not tied to caffeine:

"We cannot say drinking coffee will prolong your life, but we see an association. If you like to drink coffee, drink up! If you're not a coffee drinker, then you need to consider if you should start."

Since the association was seen in four different ethnicities, Professor Setiawan says it is safe to say the results apply to other groups:

"This study is the largest of its kind and includes minorities who have very different lifestyles. Seeing a similar pattern across different populations gives stronger biological backing to the argument that coffee is good for you whether you are white, black, Latino or Asian."

Benefits of drinking coffee In some respects, coffee is regaining its reputation for wellness benefits. After 25 years of labeling coffee a carcinogen linked to bladder cancer, the World Health Organisation last year announced that drinking coffee reduces the risk for liver and uterine cancer. In fact, previous research has indicated that drinking coffee is associated with reduced risk of several types of cancer, diabetes, liver disease, Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases. There are still some aspects of coffee drinking that come with a caveat; the WHO have stated that drinking piping hot coffee or beverages probably causes cancer in the oesophagus. However, Professor Setiawan says the majority of research is positive:

"Some people worry drinking coffee can be bad for you because it might increase the risk of heart disease, stunt growth or lead to stomach ulcers and heartburn. But research on coffee has mostly shown no harm to people's health."

Setiawan, who drinks one to two cups of coffee daily, says that the positive effects from drinking coffee are far-reaching because of the number of people who enjoy or rely on the beverage every day:

"Coffee contains a lot of antioxidants and phenolic compounds that play an important role in cancer prevention. Although this study does not show causation or point to what chemicals in coffee may have this 'elixir effect,' it is clear that coffee can be incorporated into a healthy diet and lifestyle."