For most working Americans, prolonged sitting is just par for the course. Prior to the pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that adults spent 55 percent of their day in “sedentary behaviors.” But as we all witnessed first-hand, COVID-19 only exacerbated our sedentary habits. Research associates prolonged sitting with diabetes, poor heart health, obesity, certain cancers, mental health concerns, joint pain, and even premature death, according to Yale Medicine.
“It is so ingrained in our society now—people are stationed at desks, seated in front of computers or the TV for extended periods, constantly traveling in cars, trains, and on planes. It’s a major health problem that can lead to many chronic diseases,” said Eric K. Holder, MD, a Yale Medicine physiatrist.
There are ways to counteract the negative effects of prolonged sitting, like going on lunch walks or investing in a standing desk. But what if the solution was as simple as drinking your morning cup of coffee?
RELATED: 7 Biggest Health Risks of Sitting All Day, Doctors Say.
A new study published in BMC Public Health found that non-coffee drinkers who sit for more than six hours per day have an increased risk of mortality from all causes, including cardiovascular disease.
For the study, scientists set out to uncover the correlation between sitting time and risk of mortality, and how someone’s coffee consumption habits (or lack thereof) factor into that equation. They studied the coffee habits of 10,639 U.S. adults over the course of 12 years, during which participants self-reported their daily sitting time and completed health checks.
The verdict? Those who regularly drink coffee while sitting at their desks are 1.58 times less likely to die of all-causes, including cardiovascular disease, compared to those who don’t enjoy a cup of joe.
Coffee in moderation can help decrease your risk of Type 2 diabetes, ward off heart failure and stroke, protect your liver, and lower chances of developing certain cancers and Parkinson’s disease, says Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. That’s because coffee “contains antioxidants and other active substances that may reduce internal inflammation and protect against disease.”
According to U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) regulations, adults shouldn’t consume more than 400 milligrams of caffeine a day. This equates to about two or three 12-fluid-ounce cups, depending on your kryptonite.
RELATED: 22 Health Benefits Coming From Your Cup of Coffee.
As for the study, the sedentary group of coffee lovers had the lowest risk of all-cause mortality and death caused by cardiovascular disease. However, scientists say more research is needed to better understand why this is.
“We found that sedentary behavior was independently associated with higher all-cause and [cardiovascular disease] mortality. In contrast, all-cause mortality was reduced in the highest quintile of coffee intake, and the decreased risk for [cardiovascular disease] mortality was significantly associated with any amount of coffee consumption,” reads the report.
The group added, “Given that coffee is a complex compound, further research is needed to explore this miracle compound.”
