Tea May Slim Men’s Waistlines

In that some previous studies have examined the coffee and/or tea consumption but have revealed little about how those habits affect obesity, Danielle R. Bouchard, from Queen's University (Ontario, Canada), and colleagues studied the associations between the frequency of coffee and tea consumption, and the use of additives in coffee and tea, with waist circumference.  Assessing data collected on 3,823 adults who participated in the 2003-2004 U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the team found that men who frequently drank tea had smaller waist circumference values than men who were occasional tea drinkers or men who never drink tea. No such pattern was observed in women. The use of a sweetening agent factored into male abdominal obesity as well.  In men, the use of sugar in tea was associated with a nearly 1-inch smaller waist measurement, but the use of artificial sweeteners was linked to a nearly 2-inch larger waistline. The researchers conclude that: “This study suggests that frequent consumption of tea (2 [or more] cups/day) is associated with a lower waist circumference in men.”