The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, examines the relationship between
coffee and mortality. It is based on the
coffee drinking habits
of 41,736 men and 86,216 women with no history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) or cancer. The men were followed for 18 years, the women for 24 years.
The results show that as coffee consumption increases, the overall risk of death decreases. The association is explained mostly by a decrease in CVD deaths, Lopez-Garcia says.