UCRH’s Director Professor Vicki Flood is one of a group of researchers behind a newly published study that has found that drinking a moderate amount of coffee might help reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in older adults.
As part of the Blue Mountains Eye Study, researchers looked at the coffee and tea drinking habits of people aged 49 and above over a 10-year period.
The study revealed that having one cup of coffee a day was linked to a lower chance of getting type 2 diabetes. However, drinking more than one cup or any amount of tea didn’t show the same benefit.
The researchers used detailed questionnaires to track participants’ coffee and tea consumption and checked their health records for diabetes. They found that those who drank one cup of coffee daily had about half the risk of developing diabetes compared to those who didn’t drink coffee at all.
While the findings are promising, the researchers noted that more studies are needed to understand why only moderate coffee intake seems to help and to explore the effects of different types of coffee and tea.
This study adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting that coffee, when consumed in moderation, could have health benefits for older adults.
