Drinking coffee at your desk while you work could help you live longer.
New research shows that it can partly offset the dangerous effects of sitting too much.
Scientists found that office workers who spend at least six hours a day sitting at their desks are 33 percent less likely to die prematurely if they drink two or three cups of coffee a day than their colleagues who consume none.
Researchers believe that coffee’s powerful anti-inflammatory effects may be counteracting the damage caused by spending hours every day without moving.
Numerous studies have found that prolonged sitting, six to eight hours a day, is linked to premature death from heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
Scientists found that office workers who spend at least six hours a day sitting at their desks are 33 percent less likely to die prematurely if they drink two or three cups of coffee a day than their colleagues who consume none.
Have you ever wondered what exactly happens inside your body after you take that first sip?
Lack of movement triggers widespread inflammation in the body’s main organs and tissues, causing damage that can be fatal.
Couch-addled lifestyles have become a major problem in the UK.
The increasing use of computers in the workplace – combined with the rise of computer gaming at home – means that a large proportion of the population is not achieving recommended levels of exercise.
The NHS estimates that the average Briton spends nine hours a day lying face down.
This slows down the metabolism and impairs the body’s ability to control blood sugar, blood pressure and the breakdown of fats.
But the latest research shows that the risks could be reduced by increasing coffee consumption.
Scientists at Soochow University in China analyzed lifestyle data collected from more than 10,000 adults in the United States over a ten-year period.
The volunteers were asked how many hours a day they spent sitting, as well as their coffee consumption.
The results, published in the journal BMC Health, showed that those who sat for six hours or more but consumed two or three coffees a day were a third less likely to die from any condition during the decade they were followed.
Coffee is Britain’s favorite drink and around 98 million cups are consumed every day.
The scientists behind the latest research believe that the vital antioxidant ingredients in coffee beans are the key to counteracting the dangers of prolonged sitting.
In a report on their findings they said: “Coffee is rich in bioactive substances and there is growing evidence that it can reduce mortality from chronic diseases due to its powerful properties.”