Association of serum lipoproteins and health-related habits with coffee and tea consumption in free-living subjects examined in the Israeli CORDIS study

Background. A positive association between coffee consumption and serum cholesterol levels has been demonstrated and recent results indicate that this may be due to a lipid-rich fraction present mainly in boiled coffee. The possible effects of tea consumption are less clear, although evidence has been presented which suggests that tea drinkers have lower cholesterol levels. The associations between serum lipids and lipoproteins and coffee and tea consumption were examined in the Israel CORDIS study. Methods. Employees of 21 factories were screened for cardiovascular disease risk factors between 1985 and 1987. Detailed data on coffee and tea consumption and serum lipids and lipoproteins were available for 3,858 men and 1,511 women. Results and Conclusions. Consumption of five or more cups of coffee per day was reported by 10.1% of men and 8.7% of women, whereas only 3.4% of men and 2.2% of women consumed similar quantities of tea. After controlling for a number of potential confounders, coffee consumption (particularly "mud" coffee) was strongly and positively associated with higher serum total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in both sexes (consumers of five or more cups per day had cholesterol levels up to 18 mg/dl higher than abstainers) and with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in women. There was a nonsignificant negative association between tea consumption and serum cholesterol (cholesterol levels about 5 mg/dl more in abstainers than in those consuming five or more cups per day). In general, more negative health-related habits were reported with increased coffee consumption, whereas this relationship was not found for tea drinking. The relatively small percentage of heavy tea drinkers limits the conclusions that one can draw from this study and controlled trials are needed to evaluate possible lipid-lowering effects of tea consumption.