Worried about diabetes risk? Drink more coffee!

(http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-04/d-ico042214.php) A new study published in Diabetologia shows the association between increased coffee consumption and a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. The research was led by Drs. Frank Hu and Shilpa Bhupathiraju from Harvard University's School of Public Health.

The study included 123,733 men and women, and the researchers found that participants who increased their coffee consumption by more than 1 cup/day over a 4-year period had a 11% lower risk of type 2 diabetes in the subsequent 4 years compared to those who made no changes in consumption. In contrast, participants who decreased their coffee intake by 1 cup/day or more had a 17% higher risk for type 2 diabetes.

EurekAlert reported: "Those with highest coffee consumption and who maintained that consumption--referred to as 'high-stable consumers' since they consumed 3 cups or more per day--had the lowest risk of type 2 diabetes, 37% lower than the 'low-stable consumers' who consumed 1 cup or less per day."

Changes in tea and decaffeinated coffee consumption were not associated with changes in diabetes risk.

This study shows that increasing or maintaining high coffee consumption can lower your risk of diabetes in a relatively short time!