04 May Coffee Consumption and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Frank B. Hu MD MPH PhD
Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology
From the Departments of Nutrition and Epidemiology
Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA

MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?

Dr. Hu: We found that people who increased the amount of coffee they drank each day by more than one cup over a four-year period had a 11% lower risk for type 2 diabetes than those who made no changes to their coffee consumption, but those who decreased their coffee consumption by more than a cup per day increased their type 2 diabetes risk by 17%.

MedicalResearch.com: Were any of the findings unexpected?

Dr. Hu: No, because previous studies have consistently found benefits of coffee on diabetes, but this is the first time to look at whether changes in coffee consumption is associated with subsequent risk of diabetes.

MedicalResearch.com: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?

Dr. Hu: For individuals who drink coffee regularly, they should enjoy it and there is no reason to stop or reduce consumption for health reasons.  However, coffee is only one of many factors that influence diabetes risk. More importantly, individuals should watch their weight and be physically active.”

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Dr. Hu: More prospective studies are needed to confirm our findings and explore potential mechanisms for the benefits of coffee on diabetes.

Citation:

Changes in coffee intake and subsequent risk of type 2 diabetes:
three large cohorts of US men and women
Shilpa N. Bhupathiraju & An Pan & JoAnn E. Manson &
Walter C. Willett & Rob M. van Dam & Frank B. Hu
Diabetologia
DOI 10.1007/s00125-014-3235-7

Last Updated on May 4, 2014 by Marie Benz MD FAAD