Coffee consumption and coronary heart disease risk using the Framingham risk score.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Although concerns regarding the influence of coffee consumption on human health have accompanied the massive increase in coffee consumption, the effects of coffee intake on the risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) remain controversial. Therefore, we evaluated the association between coffee consumption and CHD risk as estimated using the Framingham risk model in Korean adults.

METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: This cross-sectional study involved 3,987 participants aged 30-74 years who participated in the fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted in 2010. The frequency of coffee consumption was self-reported and classified into 4 categories (non-drinker, 1, 2, and >=3 cups/day). The 10-year risk for CHD was determined from the Framingham risk score.

RESULTS: Across the levels of coffee consumption, there were significant differences in the frequency of smoking among men and advanced age, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level, diabetes, and smoking among women. In the multiple logistic regression analyses, the adjusted odds ratios (95% CI) for >=20% 10-year CHD risk was 0.211 (0.060-0.745) for women who consumed >=3 cups of coffee per day compared with women who consumed <1 cup per day. For women, a significant dose-response inverse association between the level of coffee consumption and 10-year CHD risk persisted even after adjusting for multiple confounding factors. For the men, however, there was no significant association between coffee consumption and 10-year CHD risk.

CONCLUSIONS: Coffee consumption is associated with a lower risk for CHD in Korean women.