New study: Coffee significantly reduces risks for sedentary adults

Further studies confirm the positive impact of coffee consumption on the body. This time, it was examined how this beverage might affect the health of individuals who lead a sedentary lifestyle. The results are promising, but the researchers indicate that further studies are necessary. It's worth emphasising that coffee does not replace physical activity.

The research aimed to assess the relationship between a sedentary lifestyle and coffee consumption and mortality due to general and cardiovascular diseases among adults in the US. The results indicate that sitting for more than six hours a day and not consuming coffee was strongly associated with an increased risk of death from general causes and cardiovascular diseases.

Non-coffee drinkers who sat for six hours a day or longer were 58% more likely to die from any cause than coffee drinkers who sat for less than six hours a day – according to research published in April 2024 in the journal "BMC Public Health." The study utilised data from nearly 11,000 people collected between 2007 and 2018 as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted by the US National Center for Health Statistics.

What if someone sits a lot and drinks coffee? Huimin Zhou, a researcher from Soochow University in China and the lead author of the study, indicated in an interview with "The Washington Post" that individuals leading a sedentary lifestyle and drinking coffee had a 24% lower risk of death compared to those who sat for more than six hours and did not drink coffee.

Scientists, mainly from Soochow University in Suzhou, China, have indicated in studies that sitting for more than eight hours a day may be associated with a 46% higher risk of mortality from any cause and a 79% higher risk of death from cardiovascular diseases compared to individuals sitting for less than four hours a day.

Additionally, for those who drank the most coffee, i.e., more than two cups a day, the risk of death from any cause was 33% lower, and the risk of death from cardiovascular diseases was 54% lower compared to non-coffee drinkers. In their summary, the scientists noted that "considering the fact that coffee is a complex compound, further studies are necessary."

It is important to remember that coffee will not eliminate the negative effects of a sedentary lifestyle. Unfortunately, there are many of these. The American Institute for Cancer Research warns, among others, of colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and oesophageal cancer. It also reminds us that a sedentary lifestyle is associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.