Diabetes: Coffee and green tea might reduce death risk

A recent study investigated the effect of green tea and coffee on mortality risk among people with type 2 diabetes.

The researchers found that drinking two or more cups of coffee and four or more cups of green tea each day was associated with a 63% lower all-cause mortality.

In the United States, more than 1 in 10 adults have type 2 diabetes. Globally, the disease affects an estimated 422 million people.

Diabetes increases the risk of a range of health conditions, including cancer, bone fractures, dementia, and circulatory diseases.

Although medications can significantly reduce the health risks associated with diabetes, experts also consider lifestyle changes one of the best ways to control type 2 diabetes. These include eating a healthful diet, doing more physical activity, and stopping smoking, if a smoker.

Over the years, many scientists have investigated the potential health benefits of green tea. Some studies have shown a link between the consumption of green tea and a lower risk of developing diabetes.

Other scientists have shown that drinking green tea might improve glucose control and insulin sensitivity. However, until now, few researchers have examined how green tea might benefit people with type 2 diabetes, specifically.

Coffee has also enjoyed a great deal of scientific attention over the years. There is some evidence that a high coffee consumption leads to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes compared with a low consumption.

Beyond diabetes, there is some evidence that coffee consumption is linked with a reduced risk of mortality. However, as with green tea, few scientists have investigated this association in individuals who have diabetes.

Although there are inherent difficulties in studying the effects of specific foods on health conditions, evidence that green tea and coffee might benefit certain aspects of health is mounting.

Recently, researchers from Kyushu University, Fukuoka Dental College, and Hakujyuji Hospital, all in Japan, set out to investigate the effect of coffee and green tea on the death risk of people with diabetes.

The scientists took data from the Fukuoka Diabetes Registry, an ongoing study designed to assess the impact of medication and lifestyle on diabetes outcomes. In all, they used data from 4,923 participants with type 2 diabetes. These individuals were aged 20 years or older with an average age of 66 years. (PO)