Could coffee prevent the risks linked to a sedentary lifestyle and lack of activity? In any case, this is what a recent study from the University of Soochow (China) suggests. Sedentary and inactive people are particularly at greater risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases, hypertension or obesity. Next to “95% of the French adult population is exposed to a risk of deterioration of health due to lack of physical activity or too long time spent sitting”according to a study by the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES), published in 2022.
Sedentary lifestyle and mortality: a lower risk for coffee consumers
In this research published in the journal BMC Public Health, scientists analyzed data relating to the lifestyle of 10,000 American adults over a period of ten years. Participants were asked about the number of hours they spent sitting daily, and their weekly coffee consumption.
Results: Employees who spent at least six hours a day sitting at their desk were 33% less likely to die prematurely if they drank two to three cups of coffee per day compared to their colleagues who did not consume it.
The anti-inflammatory action of coffee may protect against the damage of a sedentary lifestyle
Faced with this observation, researchers put forward a hypothesis: the powerful anti-inflammatory effects of coffee could compensate for the damage associated with a sedentary lifestyle. Indeed, physical inactivity can cause inflammation within the body’s organs and tissues, which slows down the basal metabolism and reduces the body’s ability to control blood sugar and blood pressure. “Coffee is rich in bioactive substances, and there is growing evidence that it can reduce mortality from chronic diseases thanks to its powerful properties”concluded the authors of the study.
