Drinking Coffee Helps Lower the Chance of Getting of Type 2 Diabetes

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Does coffee consumption reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in individuals with impaired glucose? by B. Smith and colleagues. Diabetes Care 29:2395-2390, 2006.

What is the problem and what is known about it so far?

Previous studies have shown that drinkig coffee helps lower one’s chances of getting type 2 diabetes, but those studies relied on data that could have been misclassified.

Why did the researchers do this particular study?

Because so many people drink coffee (52% of U.S. adults), scientists wanted to see if drinking coffee lowers the chance of getting type 2 diabetes. Scientists also wanted to see how caffeine affects the chance of getting diabetes.

How was the study done?

The researchers studied 910 adults who were at least 50 years old. The adults who took part did not have diabetes at the beginning of the study. The adults were first tested for diabetes between 1984 and 1988 and had another check-up in 1992-1996.

In 1992, a mailed survey was also sent to the adults who were being studied. The survey asked questions about their coffee drinking habits. The adults were asked how many cups (0 cups, 1-2 cups, 3-4 cups, or more than 5 cups) of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee they drank each day from age 18-45 and after age 45.

What did the researchers find?

The researchers found that current coffee drinkers had a much lower chance of getting type 2 diabetes. Past coffee drinkers also showed a similar lower chance of getting the disease. Of the people who were studied, 97 reported never drinking coffee, 153 were past coffee drinkers, and 660 were current coffee drinkers. Current or past coffee drinkers who did not have diabetes at the start of the study had a 60% lower chance of getting type 2 diabetes in comparison with those who never drank coffee.

Because only 12 people reported drinking only decaffeinated coffee, the study did not show how caffeine plays a role in lowering the chance of getting diabetes.

This results of this study are similar to those of other studies that looked at the effects of coffee-drinking on diabetes.

What are the limitations to the study?

Those studied were mostly middle-class white people. Because of this, it is not clear how the results apply to those of other ethnic backgrounds. The study also relied on self-reported coffee drinking, which can occasionally result in inaccurate information from a responder.

What are the implications of the study?

People who drink coffee or who have drank coffee in the past have a lower chance of getting type 2 diabetes. More research needs to be done to identify the ingredient(s) in coffee that results in this benefit.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Type 2 Diabetes

Coffee and Type 2 Diabetes

The Disease Prevention Cookbook