Buzz
Two recent studies suggest that coffee drinkers tend to live longer. These are solid, large-scale studies, but this doesn't imply that coffee is a magical solution for longevity.
The Headline: Drinking More Coffee Linked to Longer Life, According to Studies (CNN)
The Story: Coffee is consumed by so many people worldwide that its potential benefits or risks could significantly impact public health. Numerous studies have compared coffee drinkers to those who abstain from it. While the findings vary, the majority of recent research indicates that coffee drinkers have a longer life expectancy. (2012, yes; 2013, no; 2015, yes.)
So, what does this year's research reveal? Two large-scale studies: one involving 521,330 people across 10 European countries, and another with 185,855 participants from Hawaii and Los Angeles, mostly people of color. (Previous coffee studies were predominantly white, so this is a valuable addition to the research.)
Yes, coffee drinkers did live longer. Yes, this even applies to those who drank decaf. However, all the studies on coffee are observational. People weren't randomly assigned to drink coffee or not; they made their own choices. For instance, coffee drinkers in these studies were less likely to smoke, and the researchers adjusted for that factor. But there could have been many other risk factors that they didn't account for.
The Takeaway: Coffee might be beneficial, but it's also possible that those who drink coffee are simply healthier to begin with.
