The association between long term coffee consumption and body fat: the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study.

Margreet R Olthof, Jade Clee, Trynke Hoekstra

Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Background: Coffee consumption has consistently been associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, in a dose response manner. One of the suggested mechanisms of action involves effects of coffee on body fat. Coffee may reduce body fat as found in human trials and observational studies, but prospective studies are scarce. Therefore the purpose of this study is to investigate the association between long term coffee consumption and body fat. 

Methods: Prospective data were derived from the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study (AGAHLS), an observational longitudinal study that started in 1976 with a total inclusion of 698 boys and girls with mean age 13 years. Since then, subjects have been measured 3–9 times during a 30-y follow-up period. Coffee consumption was assessed through a questionnaire at three times: at ages 32, 36, and 42y. Body fat percentage (%) was measured by means of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at 36 and 42y. Complete data were available for 163 men and 177 women. Three associations were investigated through multivariate linear regression analyses for men and women separately: a) coffee consumption and body fat (%) at age 42y; b) average coffee consumption between 32 and 42y and body fat (%) at 42y; c) change in coffee consumption and change in body fat (%) between ages 36 and 42y.

Results: Average coffee consumption was 3,2 (SD 2,0) cups per day for women and 4,8 (2,8) cups for men at age 42y. Average total body fat (%) was 29,4 (6,0) for women and 20,4 (4,6) for men. No statistically significant associations were found between coffee consumption and body fat in women and men.

Conclusion: Coffee consumption was not associated with body fat in women and men of the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study. More research in needed on coffee and body fat, with specific focus on the location of fat in the body.

P1-19-02 - The association between long term coffee consumption and body fat: the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study