Tea Consumption and Health Beneficences of Green Tea Drinking- A Community-based Cross-sectional Study in Urban Chinese Men

Abstract

Aims: To understand the exposure experiences of tea consumption in community male adult population of urban China and its potential beneficences in cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Study Design: A cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Communities in Shanghai, Chengdu and Hangzhou, China between July to September, 2006. Methodology: Face-to-face questionnaire interviews through household visit were carried out to collect information on tea consumption and health conditions in Chinese men. The amount of tea-leaves consumed per time was weighed in grams using identical balances. Results: In this study, 73.7% (2156/2927) subjects met the criteria of present tea drinkers (PTDRs) at the time of interview, and the age-gender standardized proportion was 66.4%. Most of PTDRs drank tea every day and amounts of tea consumption did not vary over seasons. The average weekly amounts of tea consumption in grams for PTDRs varied from 55.2 grams green tea per week to 71.7 grams oolong tea per week. Also, green tea drinking was significantly inversely associated with cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Conclusion: This study provides an informative and comprehensive description of tea drinking in urban Chinese male population. Findings from this study also present the possibility of health benefits of green tea for male Chinese population.