Related Experiment Videos
Caffeine and the risk of hip fracture: the Framingham Study
D P Kiel1, D T Felson, M T Hannan
1Division of General Internal Medicine, Brown University Program in Medicine, Providence, RI.
Insights
Heavy caffeine consumption, equivalent to over two cups of coffee daily, modestly increases hip fracture risk. Moderate intake, similar to one cup of coffee, showed no significant risk increase in this study.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Nutritional Science
- Gerontology
Background:
- Caffeine intake is linked to increased urinary calcium excretion.
- Caffeine has been suggested as a potential risk factor for osteoporosis.
- Understanding caffeine's impact on bone health is crucial for fracture prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between caffeine consumption and hip fracture risk.
- To quantify the dose-response relationship between caffeine intake and fracture incidence.
- To control for confounding factors in the caffeine-fracture risk analysis.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study utilizing data from 3,170 participants in the Framingham Study.
- Caffeine intake was quantified based on coffee and tea consumption (1 coffee unit = 1, 1 tea unit = 0.5).
- Hip fracture risk was assessed over 12 years of follow-up, adjusting for age, weight, smoking, alcohol, and estrogen use.
Main Results:
- Hip fractures occurred in 135 subjects during the 12-year follow-up period.
- Fracture risk increased with higher caffeine intake levels.
- Intake of ≥2.5 units/day (e.g., >2 cups coffee or >4 cups tea) significantly elevated hip fracture risk (RR not specified).
Conclusions:
- Heavy caffeine consumption is associated with a modest increase in hip fracture risk.
- Low to moderate caffeine intake (e.g., one cup of coffee) did not significantly elevate fracture risk.
- The observed association may be indirect, influenced by other lifestyle behaviors; further research is warranted.
Abstract:
Caffeine increases urinary calcium output and has been implicated as a risk factor for osteoporosis. The authors examined the effect of caffeine on hip fracture risk in 3,170 individuals attending the 12th (1971-1973) Framingham Study examination. Coffee and tea consumption, age, Framingham examination number, weight, smoking, alcohol consumption, and estrogen use were used to evaluate hip fracture risk according to caffeine intake. Hip fractures occurred in 135 subjects during 12 years of follow-up. Fracture risk over each 2-year period increased with increasing caffeine intake (one cup of coffee = one unit of caffeine, one cup of tea = 1/2 unit of caffeine). For intake of 1.5-2.0 units per day, the adjusted relative risk (RR) of fracture was not significantly elevated compared with intake of one or less units per day. Consumption of greater than or equal to 2.5 units per day significantly increased the risk of fracture. Overall, intake of greater than two cups of coffee per day (four cups of tea) increased the risk of fracture. In summary, hip fracture risk was modestly increased with heavy caffeine use, but not for intake equivalent to one cup of coffee per day. Since caffeine use may be associated with other behaviors that are, themselves, risk factors for fracture, the association may be indirect. Further studies should be performed to confirm these findings.