A new study published in the European Journal of Nutrition has suggested that habitual coffee consumption of 4-6 cups and over* (with one cup measuring at 125ml) per day is associated with a reduced risk of frailty.

The study, funded by the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (ISIC) is the first to analyze the relationship between coffee consumption and the underlying components of frailty.

Coffee consumption has previously been linked to reducing the risk of some of the natural symptoms of ageing, such as improving cognitive function² and mitigating against inflammatory related diseases. This latest research adds to the growing knowledge base within this area, exploring the benefits of regular coffee consumption over an extended period of time. 

For this study, researchers conducted a detailed analysis over a long seven-year follow-up period, surveying 1,161 adults aged 55+ years through the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA). 

The relationship between coffee consumption and the presence and incidence of frailty was investigated. Frailty status was evaluated using Fried’s five-component frailty phenotype⁴,which is defined by the presence of three or more of the following symptoms: weight loss, weakness, exhaustion, slow gait (walking) speed, and low physical activity.

The results of this study indicate that higher habitual coffee consumption is associated with lower overall odds of frailty. These findings can be considered alongside the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) scientific opinion that up to 400mg of caffeine (3-5 cups of coffee) per day is a moderate and safe amount⁵.

The researchers explain that coffee’s effect on reducing frailty can partly be attributed to the role of antioxidants in coffee, which may help to reduce inflammation, sarcopenia (muscle loss), and prevention of muscle damage. Coffee may also help to improve regulating insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake in older people.

The study’s lead author, Margreet R. Olthof, Associate Professor at the Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, commented: “Drinking coffee is a key part of many people’s daily routine, and as people age they are constantly looking for ways to maintain their health. Our findings highlight the possible beneficial association between daily coffee consumption and reduced risk of frailty in later life in the older population. Coffee consumption may thus enhance healthy aging, but it is important we also explore further dietary interventions, to ensure older adults can continue to live fulfilling lives.” 

* Moderate coffee consumption can be defined as 3–5 cups per day, based on the European Food Safety Authority’s review of caffeine safety.

We’re nearly two months into 2025, but if you’re struggling to hold onto your New Year’s resolution, stay strong, as University of South Australia research shows that forming a healthy habit can take longer than you expect.

In the first systematic review of its kind, UniSA researchers found that new habits can begin forming within about two months (median of 59–66 days) but can take up to 335 days to establish.

It’s an important finding that could inform health interventions to promote healthy behaviours and prevent chronic disease.

In Australia, chronic disease contributes to a large portion of the disease burden. Many conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, lung diseases and stroke, can be prevented by changing unhealthy habits or lifestyle factors. 

University of South Australia researcher, Dr Ben Singh, says that contrary to popular belief, healthy habits take far longer than three weeks to lock down.

“Adopting healthy habits is essential for long-term well-being but forming these habits – and breaking unhealthy ones – can be challenging,” Dr Singh says.

“At the beginning of the year, many of us are setting goals and making plans for the months ahead –things like being more active, cutting back on sugar, or making healthier food choices – but while common wisdom suggests that it takes just 21 days to form such habits, these claims are not evidence-based.

“In our research, we’ve found that habit formation starts within around two months, but there is significant variability, with formation times ranging from four days to nearly a year.

“So, it’s important for people who are hoping to make healthier habits not to give up at that mythical three-week mark.”

The study of more than 2600 participants also found that certain factors can influence successful habit formation.

“When trying to establish a new healthy habit, success can be influenced by a range of things including how frequently we undertake the new activity, the timing of the practice, and whether we enjoy it or not,” Dr Singh says.

“If you add a new practice to your morning routine, the data shows that you’re more likely to achieve it. You’re also more likely to stick to a new habit if you enjoy it.

“Planning and intending to complete a new behaviour can also help solidify a new habit, so make sure you continue to make time to include your new healthy habits into your everyday activities. This could be as easy as laying out your gym clothes the night before a morning walk or having a healthy lunch ready to go in the fridge.

“Tailoring habit-building strategies into our day and making plans on how we can achieve them, will put you in a position for success.”

While more research is needed, researchers say that these findings can guide public health initiatives and personalised programs that support sustained and healthy behaviour change.

More time spent sitting, reclining or lying down during the day may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death, according to a study in JACC, the flagship journal of the American College of Cardiology, and presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2024.

More than roughly 10-and-a-half hours of sedentary behavior per day was significantly linked with future heart failure (HF) and cardiovascular (CV) death, even among people meeting recommended levels of exercise.

“Our findings support cutting back on sedentary time to reduce cardiovascular risk, with 10.6 hours a day marking a potentially key threshold tied to higher heart failure and cardiovascular mortality,” said Shaan Khurshid, MD, MPH, a cardiologist at the Massachusetts General Hospital and co-senior author of the study. “Too much sitting or lying down can be harmful for heart health, even for those who are active.”

Insufficient exercise is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Over 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week is recommended by current guidelines to promote heart health. However, study experts say exercise is only a small fraction of overall daily activity, and the current guidelines don’t provide specific guidance on sedentary behavior which accounts for a much larger portion of daily activity, despite evidence that it’s directly linked with CVD risk.

This study examined the amount of sedentary time at which CVD risk is greatest and explored how sedentary behavior and physical activity together impact the chances of atrial fibrillation (AF), heart failure (HF), myocardial infarction (MI) and CV mortality.

Among the 89,530 study participants of the UK biobank, the average age was 62 years and 56.4% were women. Participants submitted data from a wrist-worn triaxial accelerometer that captured movement over seven days. The average sedentary time per day was 9.4 hours.

After an average follow-up of eight years, 3,638 individuals (4.9%) developed incident AF, 1,854 (2.1%) developed incident HF, 1,610 (1.84%) developed indecent MI and 846 (0.94%) died of CV causes, respectively.

The effects of sedentary time varied by outcome. For AF and MI, the risk increased steadily over time without major shifts. For HF and CV mortality, increase in risk was minimal until sedentary time exceeded about 10.6 hours a day, at which point risk rose significantly, showing a “threshold” effect for the behavior.

For study participants who met the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity or more, the effects of sedentary behavior on AF and MI risks were substantially reduced, but effects on higher risk of HF and CV mortality remained prominent.

“Future guidelines and public health efforts should stress the importance of cutting down on sedentary time,” Khurshid said. “Avoiding more than 10.6 hours per day may be a realistic minimal target for better heart health.”

In an accompanying editorial comment, Charles Eaton, MD, MS, Director of the Brown University Department of Family Medicine, said the use of wearable accelerometers has shown that exercise is significantly over-estimated by self-report and sedentary behavior is under-estimated.

Eaton said that replacing just 30 minutes of excessive sitting time each day with any type of physical activity can lower heart health risks. Adding moderate-to-vigorous activity cut the risk of HF by 15% and CV mortality by 10%, and even light activity made a difference by reducing HF risk by 6% and CV mortality by 9%.

“This study adds to the growing evidence of a strong link between sedentary behavior and cardiovascular health,” said Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM, Harold H. Hines Jr. Professor at Yale School of Medicine and Editor-in-Chief of JACC. “The findings strongly suggest that we need to get people moving to promote better health.”