11.01.06
Source: JAMA, September 13, 2006;296:1255-1265.
Research:
Green tea polyphenols have been extensively studied as cardiovascular disease and cancer chemopreventive agents in vitro and in animal studies. However, the effects of green tea consumption in humans remain unclear. Researchers set out to investigate the associations between green tea consumption and all-cause and cause-specific mortality. The subjects included those participating in the Ohsaki National Health Insurance Cohort Study. This population-based, prospective cohort study was initiated in 1994 to study over 40,000 Japanese adults aged 40-79 years without history of stroke, coronary heart disease or cancer at baseline. Mortality due to cardiovascular disease, cancer and all causes were the main outcome measures.
Results:
Over 11 years of follow-up, a little over 4200 participants died, and over seven years of follow-up, 892 participants died of cardiovascular disease and 1134 subjects died of cancer. Green tea consumption was inversely associated with mortality due to all causes and due to cardiovascular disease. The inverse association with all-cause mortality was stronger in women. The inverse association with cardiovascular disease mortality was stronger than that with all-cause mortality. This inverse association with cardiovascular disease was also stronger in women. The results of this study led researchers to conclude that green tea consumption is associated with reduced mortality due to all causes and due to cardiovascular disease, but not with reduced mortality due to cancer.
Research:
Green tea polyphenols have been extensively studied as cardiovascular disease and cancer chemopreventive agents in vitro and in animal studies. However, the effects of green tea consumption in humans remain unclear. Researchers set out to investigate the associations between green tea consumption and all-cause and cause-specific mortality. The subjects included those participating in the Ohsaki National Health Insurance Cohort Study. This population-based, prospective cohort study was initiated in 1994 to study over 40,000 Japanese adults aged 40-79 years without history of stroke, coronary heart disease or cancer at baseline. Mortality due to cardiovascular disease, cancer and all causes were the main outcome measures.
Results:
Over 11 years of follow-up, a little over 4200 participants died, and over seven years of follow-up, 892 participants died of cardiovascular disease and 1134 subjects died of cancer. Green tea consumption was inversely associated with mortality due to all causes and due to cardiovascular disease. The inverse association with all-cause mortality was stronger in women. The inverse association with cardiovascular disease mortality was stronger than that with all-cause mortality. This inverse association with cardiovascular disease was also stronger in women. The results of this study led researchers to conclude that green tea consumption is associated with reduced mortality due to all causes and due to cardiovascular disease, but not with reduced mortality due to cancer.