Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

Joint association of coffee consumption and other factors to the risk of type 2 diabetes: a prospective study in Finland

International Journal of Obesity volume 30, pages 1742–1749 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To examine joint associations of coffee consumption and other factors (including physical activity, obesity and alcohol consumption) with the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Design:

Prospective follow-up study.

Subjects:

In all, 10 188 Finnish men and 11 197 women aged 35–74 years without a history of stroke, coronary heart disease or diabetes at baseline.

Measurement:

A self-administered questionnaire data on coffee, tea, alcohol and other food consumption, physical activity, smoking, socio-economic factors and medical history, together with measured height, weight and blood pressure using standardized protocol.

Results:

During a mean follow-up of 13.4 years, there were 964 incident cases of type 2 diabetes. Multivariate-adjusted (age, study year, systolic blood pressure, education, smoking, physical activity, body mass index (BMI) and fruit, vegetable, sausage, bread, alcohol and tea consumption) hazard ratio of type 2 diabetes in participants who drank 0–2, 3–6 and ⩾7 cups of coffee were 1.00, 0.77 and 0.66 (P=0.022 for trend) in men, 1.00, 0.71 and 0.52 (P=0.001 for trend) in women, and 1.00, 0.75 and 0.61 (P<0.001 for trend) in men and women combined (adjusted also for sex), respectively. This inverse association was consistent in subjects with any joint levels of physical activity and BMI, and in alcohol drinkers and non-drinkers. Among obese and inactive people, coffee drinking of seven cups or more daily reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes to half.

Conclusions:

Coffee drinking was associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes in both men and women, and this association was observed regardless of the levels of physical activity, BMI and alcohol consumption.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. van Dam RM, Feskens EJ . Coffee consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Lancet 2002; 360: 1477–1478.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Rosengren A, Dotevall A, Wilhelmsen L, Thelle D, Johansson S . Coffee and incidence of diabetes in Swedish women: a prospective 18-year follow-up study. J Intern Med 2004; 255: 89–95.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Salazar-Martinez E, Willett WC, Ascherio A, Manson JE, Leitzmann MF, Stampfer MJ et al. Coffee consumption and risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Ann Intern Med 2004; 140: 1–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Tuomilehto J, Hu G, Bidel S, Lindstrom J, Jousilahti P . Coffee consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus among middle-aged Finnish men and women. JAMA 2004; 291: 1213–1219.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Carlsson S, Hammar N, Grill V, Kaprio J . Coffee consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes in Finnish twins. Int J Epidemiol 2004; 33: 616–617.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. van Dam RM, Hu FB . Coffee consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review. JAMA 2005; 294: 97–104.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Reunanen A, Heliovaara M, Aho K . Coffee consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Lancet 2003; 361: 702–703.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Saremi A, Tulloch-Reid M, Knowler WC . Coffee consumption and the incidence of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care 2003; 26: 2211–2212.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Helmrich SP, Ragland DR, Leung RW, Paffenbarger Jr RS . Physical activity and reduced occurrence of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. N Engl J Med 1991; 325: 147–152.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Hu FB, Sigal RJ, Rich-Edwards JW, Colditz GA, Solomon CG, Willett WC et al. Walking compared with vigorous physical activity and risk of type 2 diabetes in women: a prospective study. JAMA 1999; 282: 1433–1439.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Wannamethee SG, Shaper AG, Alberti KG . Physical activity, metabolic factors, and the incidence of coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Arch Intern Med 2000; 160: 2108–2116.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Hu FB, Leitzmann MF, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA, Willett WC, Rimm EB . Physical activity and television watching in relation to risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus in men. Arch Intern Med 2001; 161: 1542–1548.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Hu G, Qiao Q, Silventoinen K, Eriksson JG, Jousilahti P, Lindstrom J et al. Occupational, commuting, and leisure-time physical activity in relation to risk for type 2 diabetes in middle-aged Finnish men and women. Diabetologia 2003; 46: 322–329.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Hu G, Lindstrom J, Valle TT, Eriksson JG, Jousilahti P, Silventoinen K et al. Physical activity, body mass index, and risk of type 2 diabetes in patients with normal or impaired glucose regulation. Arch Intern Med 2004; 164: 892–896.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Colditz GA, Willett WC, Rotnitzky A, Manson JE . Weight gain as a risk factor for clinical diabetes mellitus in women. Ann Intern Med 1995; 122: 481–486.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Ford ES, Williamson DF, Liu S . Weight change and diabetes incidence: findings from a national cohort of US adults. Am J Epidemiol 1997; 146: 214–222.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Koh-Banerjee P, Wang Y, Hu FB, Spiegelman D, Willett WC, Rimm EB . Changes in body weight and body fat distribution as risk factors for clinical diabetes in US men. Am J Epidemiol 2004; 159: 1150–1159.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Howard AA, Arnsten JH, Gourevitch MN . Effect of alcohol consumption on diabetes mellitus: a systematic review. Ann Intern Med 2004; 140: 211–219.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Patja K, Jousilahti P, Hu G, Valle T, Qiao Q, Tuomilehto J . Effects of smoking, obesity and physical activity on the risk of type 2 diabetes in middle-aged Finnish men and women. J Intern Med 2005; 258: 356–362.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. World Resources Institute. Earth Trends Data Tables: Energy and Resources. Available at: http://earthtrends.wri.org/pdf_library/data_tables/ene5_2005.pdf.

  21. Vartiainen E, Jousilahti P, Alfthan G, Sundvall J, Pietinen P, Puska P . Cardiovascular risk factor changes in Finland, 1972–1997. Int J Epidemiol 2000; 29: 49–56.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Pajak A, Kuulasmaa K, Tuomilehto J, Ruokokoski E . Geographical variation in the major risk factors of coronary heart disease in men and women aged 35–64 years. The WHO MONICA Project. World Health Stat Q 1988; 41: 115–140.

    Google Scholar 

  23. WHO MONICA Project Principal Investigators. The World Health Organization MONICA Project (monitoring trends and determinants in cardiovascular disease): a major international collaboration. WHO MONICA Project Principal Investigators. J Clin Epidemiol 1988; 41: 105–114.

  24. Barengo NC, Hu G, Lakka TA, Pekkarinen H, Nissinen A, Tuomilehto J . Low physical activity as a predictor for total and cardiovascular disease mortality in middle-aged men and women in Finland. Eur Heart J 2004; 25: 2204–2211.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Hu G, Barengo NC, Tuomilehto J, Lakka TA, Nissinen A, Jousilahti P . Relationship of physical activity and body mass index to the risk of hypertension: a prospective study in Finland. Hypertension 2004; 43: 25–30.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Hu G, Eriksson J, Barengo NC, Lakka TA, Valle TT, Nissinen A et al. Occupational, commuting, and leisure-time physical activity in relation to total and cardiovascular mortality among Finnish subjects with type 2 diabetes. Circulation 2004; 110: 666–673.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Hu G, Tuomilehto J, Silventoinen K, Barengo N, Jousilahti P . Joint effects of physical activity, body mass index, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio with the risk of cardiovascular disease among middle-aged Finnish men and women. Eur Heart J 2004; 25: 2212–2219.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Barengo NC, Hu G, Kastarinen M, Lakka TA, Pekkarinen H, Nissinen A et al. Low physical activity as a predictor for antihypertensive drug treatment in 25–64-year-old populations in Eastern and south-western Finland. J Hypertens 2005; 23: 293–299.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Hu G, Jousilahti P, Barengo NC, Qiao Q, Lakka TA, Tuomilehto J . Physical activity, cardiovascular risk factors, and mortality among Finnish adults with diabetes. Diabetes Care 2005; 28: 799–805.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Hu G, Tuomilehto J, Silventoinen K, Barengo NC, Peltonen M, Jousilahti P . The effects of physical activity and body mass index on cardiovascular, cancer and all-cause mortality among 47 212 middle-aged Finnish men and women. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2005; 29: 894–902.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Hu G, Sarti C, Jousilahti P, Silventoinen K, Barengo NC, Tuomilehto J . Leisure time, occupational, and commuting physical activity and the risk of stroke. Stroke 2005; 36: 1994–1999.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Albanes D, Conway JM, Taylor PR, Moe PW, Judd J . Validation and comparison of eight physical activity questionnaires. Epidemiology 1990; 1: 65–71.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Lahti-Koski M, Pietinen P, Heliovaara M, Vartiainen E . Associations of body mass index and obesity with physical activity, food choices, alcohol intake, and smoking in the 1982–1997 FINRISK Studies. Am J Clin Nutr 2002; 75: 809–817.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. WHO Study Group on Diabetes Mellitus. Diabetes Mellitus: Report of a WHO Study Group. WHO Technical Report Series No 727, 1985.

  35. WHO Consultation. Definition, Diagnosis and Classification of Diabetes Mellitus and its Complications. Part 1: Diagnosis and Classification of Diabetes Mellitus. World Health Organization: Geneva, 1999.

  36. Keijzers GB, De Galan BE, Tack CJ, Smits P . Caffeine can decrease insulin sensitivity in humans. Diabetes Care 2002; 25: 364–369.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Yoshioka K, Kogure A, Yoshida T, Yoshikawa T . Coffee consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Lancet 2003; 361: 703.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Lopez-Ridaura R, Willett WC, Rimm EB, Liu S, Stampfer MJ, Manson JE et al. Magnesium intake and risk of type 2 diabetes in men and women. Diabetes Care 2004; 27: 134–140.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Matsui T, Ueda T, Oki T, Sugita K, Terahara N, Matsumoto K . alpha-Glucosidase inhibitory action of natural acylated anthocyanins. 1. Survey of natural pigments with potent inhibitory activity. J Agric Food Chem 2001; 49: 1948–1951.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Nauck MA, Heimesaat MM, Orskov C, Holst JJ, Ebert R, Creutzfeldt W . Preserved incretin activity of glucagon-like peptide 1 [7–36 amide] but not of synthetic human gastric inhibitory polypeptide in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus. J Clin Invest 1993; 91: 301–307.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Meier JJ, Hucking K, Holst JJ, Deacon CF, Schmiegel WH, Nauck MA . Reduced insulinotropic effect of gastric inhibitory polypeptide in first-degree relatives of patients with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes 2001; 50: 2497–2504.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Song Y, Manson JE, Buring JE, Liu S . Dietary magnesium intake in relation to plasma insulin levels and risk of type 2 diabetes in women. Diabetes Care 2004; 27: 59–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Hu G, Jousilahti P, Peltonen M, Lindstrom J, Tuomilehto J . Urinary sodium and potassium excretion and the risk of type 2 diabetes: a prospective study in Finland. Diabetologia 2005; 48: 1477–1483.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by grants from the Ministry of Education, Juho Vainio Foundation, the Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research, and the Finnish Academy (Grants 46558, 204274 and 205657).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology and Health Promotion, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland

    G Hu, P Jousilahti, M Peltonen, S Bidel & J Tuomilehto

  2. Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    G Hu, P Jousilahti, M Peltonen & J Tuomilehto

  3. Institute of Biomedicine, Helsinki, Finland

    S Bidel

  4. South Ostrobothnia Central Hospital, Seinäjoki, Finland

    J Tuomilehto

Authors
  1. G Hu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P Jousilahti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M Peltonen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. S Bidel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. J Tuomilehto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to G Hu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hu, G., Jousilahti, P., Peltonen, M. et al. Joint association of coffee consumption and other factors to the risk of type 2 diabetes: a prospective study in Finland. Int J Obes 30, 1742–1749 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803341

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803341

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links