Increased Coffee Consumption Linked to Lower Risk of Developing Melanoma

violetkaipa/iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — A new study linked the amount of coffee you drink with your risk of developing melanoma.

Researchers looked at data from 450,000 cancer-free participants from a health and diet study. By comparing the amount of coffee the participants consumed to their risk of melanoma, they were able to determine that their risk of developing the disease was moderately lower.

That fact remained consistent even when adjusted for other health factors that could influence melanoma risk, such as body mass index, exposure to ultraviolet light, age, sex, smoking status and alcohol intake. In fact, those who drank more than four cups of coffee daily were 20 percent less likely to develop the disease.

This study, however, only indicates an association, and not that drinking more coffee causes the lower risk.

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