Radically Wrong: Scare-Mongering Study Off-Base on Women's Health

24 August 2020 | NEW YORK - The National Coffee Association warned that evidence does not support the fundamentally flawed findings of a review of coffee’s impact on women health published in the British Medical Journal today.

Harvard University professor of neurology and leading expert on research regarding coffee and health Dr. Alan Leviton commented that the study’s conclusions are skewed by biases inherent in studies on coffee consumption and pregnancy:

“Women with healthy pregnancies are more likely to experience early sensitivity to strong tastes and smells, often even before they know they are pregnant. These women may avoid drinking coffee, but that does not mean drinking coffee causes increased risks to the mother or fetus.”

“The review draws conclusions from studies that rely on self-reported consumption data, which is notoriously inaccurate. Confounding factors, like tobacco use, are also highly likely to be inaccurately reported and, therefore, inadequately controlled for in observational study results.”

NCA President and CEO William “Bill” Murray commented:

“This study’s conclusions are radically wrong about coffee and women’s health. Decades of independent scientific research has repeatedly shown moderate coffee consumption is not associated with increased health risks for pregnant women.

In fact, as reflected in guidance from organizations including the American Cancer Society, evidence shows that drinking coffee is associated with multiple health benefits, including decreased risk of endometrial and other cancers. Women’s health deserves guidance based on science, not bias.”

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