Coffee Consumption and Decreased Serum Gamma-glutamyltransferase Activity in Men of Rural Area

Son, Byung Min; Cho, Byung Mann; Lee, Sang Don; Chung, Moon Kee; Kim, Don Kyoun

Abstract

PURPOSE: There has been various reports on the inverse association between coffee consumption and serum gamma-glutamyltransferase(GGT) activity in the general population of Western countries. However, this association is uncertain in the communities in which coffee consumption is less popular. So we tried to identify this association in men of rural area in Korea. METHODS: We examined the association between coffee consumption and serum GGT activity in cross-sectional study involving 379 male population health examinees aged 40 years and older from rural areas in Kyungnam prefecture in Korea. Those who perceived their health status as poor were excluded. Possible confounding effects of age, body mass index, alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking were controlled by multiple regression analysis and analysis of covariance. RESULTS: In multiple regression analysis, serum GGT activity was positively associated with alcohol intake, body mass index(P<0.001) and was negatively associated with coffee consumption(P=0.022), whereas no significant association was observed in cigarette smoking(P=0.094). Adjusted serum GGT activity level at the coffee consumption level of 0, one and two or more cups a day was 37.6 U/l, 35.9 U/l and 26.8 U/l respectively(Ptrend=0.008). CONCLUSION: Decreased serum GGT activity appears to be associated with coffee consumption in men of rural area, and further studies on the interrelationships among coffee consumption, alcohol intake and obesity will be necessary.