Years spent sitting on an office chair or a couch can have serious health consequences. However, a daily cup of coffee might help mitigate these harmful effects.
A study involving over 10,000 people in the United States found that daily coffee drinkers might be protected from the negative impacts of sitting for six or more hours a day. Compared to non-coffee drinkers who are sedentary, coffee drinkers are 1.58 times less likely to die from all causes up to 13 years later.
GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCH
Researchers at Soochow University in China conducted this pioneering study. It’s the first to examine how coffee’s health benefits could counteract the increased risk of death associated with prolonged sitting. By analyzing long-term health data from the US, the team discovered that coffee consumption essentially negates the link between sedentary lifestyles and mortality from cardiovascular disease and other causes.
EXERCISE VS. COFFEE: A SURPRISING COMPARISON
Interestingly, studies suggest that even regular exercise may not fully protect against the long-term health risks of prolonged sitting, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, or stroke. However, coffee appears to offer a unique protective effect. Of the 10,639 participants, 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 for less than four hours a day. This aligns with previous research, but the novel finding is that these risks were only present among adults who did not consume coffee.
COFFEE’S PROTECTIVE BENEFITS
Sedentary individuals who drank coffee showed a reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease, regardless of their coffee intake. 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 sat for at least six hours daily.
UNDERSTANDING COFFEE’S HEALTH BENEFITS
The study does not explain why coffee has this protective effect, but past research has linked coffee consumption to longer and healthier lives. Caffeine in the blood has been associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Decaffeinated coffee, rich in antioxidants, may boost metabolism and reduce inflammation. Certain compounds in coffee might also protect the brain from degenerative diseases like Parkinson’s.
Promising but Inconclusive Results
While these findings are promising, the exact mechanisms behind coffee’s health benefits and the ideal dosage require further investigation. Earlier this year, another study found that people with colorectal cancer who drank at least five cups of coffee a day had a 32 percent lower chance of disease recurrence than those who drank fewer than two cups. That same study found that three to five daily cups of coffee were linked to the greatest reduction in all-cause mortality. Beyond five cups, the benefits diminished.
