| Research Abstract |
A database of 7,637 male self-defense officials aged 48-59 was created by adding data of more than 2500 men to the previous data set of men receiving a preretirement health examination of the Self Defense Forces (SDF). This database included cross-sectional information on lifestyle factors and comprehensive medical data ; information on smoking, alcohol use, green tea consumption, coffee consumption, and 10 other food items in common throughout the survey period. Medical data included serum lipids, serum liver enzymes, serum uric acid, result of a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test, findings of gallbladder ultrasonography and colonoscopy. We investigated the relationship of green tea consumption with serum concentrations of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides in 7,391 men excluding those under hypolipidemic medication and others. After adjustment for hospital, study period, age, rank in the SDF, smoking, alcohol use, body mass index, glucose tolerance status determined
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by a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test, and coffee consumption. Mean concentrations of serum total cholesterol among men consuming 0, 1-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10+ cups of green tea per day were 201.9, 199.4, 197.3, 200.0, and 196.3 mg/dl, respectively (trend p = 0.0007). Green tea consumption was not measurably related to either serum HDL cholesterol or triglycerides. The consumption of milk, bread for breakfast, soy paste soup, and raw vegetables each made a significant or nearly significant contribution to the variation of serum total cholesterol levels. After additional adjustment for these dietary variables, drinking one cup of green tea per day was associated with a decrease of 0.39 mg/dl (95% confidence interval 0.21-0.80) in serum concentrations of total cholesterol. Coffee consumption was not materially related to serum levels of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol or triglycerides.
We also investigated the relation between lifestyle factors other than green tea drinking and health-related biological parameters. Coffee drinking was found to be associated with lower levels of serum liver enzymes, serum uric acid, and lower blood pressure. Green tea drinking did not show such associations. Less
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