Can Coffee Reduce the Risks of Prolonged Sitting?

Many of us spend countless hours each day sitting in front of a computer. Whether you’re an entry-level clerk or a senior executive, a government employee or a tech worker, most of us rely on desk work in front of a screen to get our jobs done. However, the damage from prolonged sitting is well-known: back pain is common, and many are forced to strengthen their bodies to cope with the harsh consequences.

A new study finds that drinking a cup of coffee might "offset" some of the harm caused by prolonged sitting. The U.S.-based research found that people who drink coffee daily may have some protection against the health risks of sitting for six or more hours a day, compared to those who don’t drink coffee. It also found that those who sit while drinking coffee have a 1.5 times lower risk of death.

These findings might sound exaggerated, but researchers from Soochow University in China, who took part in the study, claim it is highly accurate. According to them, participants were followed for 13 years, and the study focused on daily sitting time and coffee consumption levels. Participants were divided into groups based on how long they sat each day: less than 4 hours, 4–6 hours, 6–8 hours, or more than 8 hours. They were also categorized by their coffee consumption: none, low, medium, or high.

According to the results, participants who sat for more than eight hours a day had a 46% higher overall risk of death and a 79% higher risk of death from heart disease, compared to those who sat less than four hours a day. Those who sat more than six hours without drinking coffee had over 1.5 times the risk of mortality. Coffee drinkers, on the other hand, showed a 33% lower risk of all-cause mortality. The researchers concluded that the increased mortality risk linked to prolonged sitting only applied to people who didn’t consume any coffee.

While it's unclear if the fact that coffee drinkers get up multiple times a day to prepare their coffee (and thus don’t sit continuously) influences the results, however according to the Chinese researchers, if you sit for long periods in front of a computer—drink coffee. According to them, it can’t hurt.