Affiliations: Saitama Cancer Center Research Institute, 818 Komuro,
Ina, Saitama 362-0806, Japan
Note: [] Saitama Cancer Center Research Institute, 818 Komuro, Ina,
Kitaadachi-gun, Saitama 362-0806, Japan. Fax: +81 48 722 1739; E-mail:
nakachi@qb3.so-net.or.jp
Abstract: The significance of drinking green tea in prevention of two of the
main lifestyle-related diseases, cancer and cardiovascular disease, was
demonstrated in terms of a prospective cohort study on a total of 8,552 general
residents in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. On the basis of the follow-up study, we
revealed decreased relative risk of cancer incidence for those consuming over
10 cups a day, compared with those consuming below 3 cups: 0.54 (95% men, 0.57
(0.34--0.98) for women, and 0.59 (0.35--0.98) for both sexes. Furthermore, a
significant delay in cancer onset was associated with increased consumption of
green tea. Next, decreased relative risk of death from cardiovascular disease
was 0.58 (0.34--0.99) for men, 0.82 (0.49--1.38) for women, and 0.72
(0.60--1.04) for members of both sexes consuming over 10 cups a day. Finally,
we evaluated the life-prolonging effects of drinking green tea on cumulative
survival, using the life table.
Keywords: green tea, cancer, cardiovascular disease, prospective cohort study
Journal: BioFactors, vol. 13, no. 1-4, pp. 49-54, 2000
