According to a new study published in The Journal of Nutrition, women who drink two or even three cups of coffee a day have been found to have a lower total body and abdominal fat than those who drink less.
Researchers analysed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, regulated by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in the USA, and looked at the connection between cups of coffee drunk per day, and also total body fat percentage and abdominal or ‘trunk’ fat (obesity).
The researchers found that women aged 20-44 who drank two or three cups of coffee per day had the lowest levels of obesity, 3.4% lower than people who did not consume coffee. Among women aged 45-69, those who drank four or more cups had an adiposity percentage of 4.1% lower.
In men, the connection was less significant, although men aged 20-44 who drank two or three cups per day had 1.3% less total fat and 1.8% less trunk fat than those who did not consume coffee.
Dr. Lee Smith, Reader in Public Health at Anglia Ruskin University and senior author of the study, stated: “Our research suggests that there may be bioactive compounds in coffee other than caffeine. These compounds could regulate weight and could potentially be used as anti-obesity compounds.
Coffee or its effective ingredients could be included in a healthy diet plan to reduce chronic conditions related to the obesity epidemic.
He also said: “It is important to interpret the findings of this study in light of its limitation. The study was at a specific point in time, so trends cannot be established. But, we don’t believe that someone’s weight is likely to influence their coffee consumption.”
