Sipping coffee at your desk while you work could help you live longer.
New research shows it can partly offset the dangerous effects of too much sitting.
Scientists found office workers who spend at least six hours a day stationary at their desks are 33 per cent less likely to die prematurely if they drink two to three cups of coffee a day than colleagues who consume none.
Researchers think coffee’s powerful anti-inflammatory effects may be countering the damage done from spending hours every day not moving.
Numerous studies have found prolonged sitting time of six to eight hours a day is linked with premature death from heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
Scientists found office workers who spend at least six hours a day stationary at their desks are 33 per cent less likely to die prematurely if they drink two to three cups of coffee a day than colleagues who consume none.
Have you ever wondered what exactly happens inside your body after taking that first sip
The lack of movement triggers widespread inflammation in the body’s major organs and tissues, causing damage which can prove to be fatal.
Couch-potato lifestyles have become a major problem in the UK.
The growing use of computers in the work-place – combined with the rise of computer games at home – means a large proportion of the population falls well short of recommended exercise levels.
The NHS estimates that the average Brit spends nine hours a day plonked on their behind.
This slows the metabolism and harms the body’s ability to control blood sugar, blood pressure and the breakdown of fat.
But the latest research shows the risks could be slashed by increasing coffee intake.
Scientists from Soochow University in China analysed lifestyle data collected on more than 10,000 adults in the US over a ten-year period.
Volunteers were quizzed on how many hours a day they spent sitting, as well as their coffee consumption.
The results, in the journal BMC Health, showed those who sat six hours or more but consumed two to three coffees daily were a third less likely to die from any condition over the decade they were followed.
Coffee is Britain’s favourite beverage, with some 98 million cups consumed every day.
Scientists behind the latest research think vital antioxidant ingredients in coffee beans are the key to offsetting the dangers of sitting for too long.
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.’
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