Study good news for coffee fans

Both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee were shown to have benefits. Photo / Thinkstock

Drinking three to five cups of coffee a day might help you live longer.

New United States research has found people who drink three to five cups of coffee a day are less likely to die prematurely from heart disease, suicide, diabetes or Parkinson's disease.

Both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee were shown to have benefits, said the study by researchers at the Harvard University Chan School of Public Health published in this week's edition of the journal Circulation.

The study compared people who don't drink coffee, or drank less than two cups daily, to those who reported drinking up to five cups daily.

The study did not prove a cause-and-effect for coffee and the reduced likelihood of certain diseases, but uncovered an apparent link that scientists would like to probe further.

"Bioactive compounds in coffee reduce insulin resistance and systematic inflammation," said first author Ming Ding, a doctoral student in the Department of Nutrition.

No protective effect was found against cancer in this study.

The study was based on data gathered from three large, ongoing surveys including some 300,000 nurses and other health professionals who answer questionnaires about their medical conditions and habits at regular intervals over the course of 30 years.

Researchers accounted for potential confounding factors such as smoking, body mass index, exercise, alcohol consumption and diet. But the fact that the research relied on surveys, which use self-reported behaviour, could raise questions about its reliability.

And experts warned that coffee may not be right for everyone, especially pregnant women and children.

- AAP