In previous research, consumption of coffee, both caffeinated and decaffeinated, and tea has been linked with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. Now, according to a meta-analysis published in the December 2009 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, a high intake of coffee is associated with a reduced risk of diabetes.

Investigators from the University of Sydney in Australia and their colleagues searched for relevant studies regarding the association between coffee, decaffeinated coffee, or tea and diabetes between 1966 and July 2009. They identified 18 studies reporting on the association between coffee consumption and diabetes, which included information on nearly 458,000 participants. They also found 6 studies on the link between decaffeinated coffee and diabetes and 7 studies on the association between tea and diabetes. The investigators found that increased coffee consumption was linked to decreased diabetes risk, with every additional cup of coffee contributing to a 7 percent reduction in the excess risk of diabetes.

Similar significant inverse associations were observed with decaffeinated coffee and tea and risk of diabetes. While this meta-analysis suggests a protective effect of coffee, decaffeinated coffee, and tea against the risk of diabetes, these findings need to be validated in randomized clinical trials.

Source:

Arch Intern Med 2009;169(22):2053-2063.