Coffee consumption associated with increase in life years, reduction in healthcare costs

Xcenda, the strategic consulting arm of AmerisourceBergen, one of the largest global pharmaceutical sourcing and distribution service companies, recently conducted the first-ever health economic analysis on coffee consumption. This research was analyzed in an economic model and found that moderate coffee consumption was associated with an increase in life years and a reduction in healthcare costs. The study looked at population-level coffee consumption across the United States by reviewing meta-analyses on the association of coffee and chronic diseases and cancers.

"This is the first time that coffee consumption has been analyzed through the lens of health economics," said Amy Grogg, PharmD, President, AmerisourceBergen Consulting Services. "With our new healthcare system being hyper-focused on reducing costs and improving outcomes, health economic research critically examines the effectiveness and value of health-affecting behaviors, resources and systems on a population. When we applied a health economic analysis to coffee, we were excited to see that this morning necessity may be a cost-effective means to improve health outcomes."

One of the study's key findings showed that coffee consumption was associated with increased life years at a population level. Moderate coffee drinkers gained a half-year over their lifetime compared to a 6.1 – 8.5 life year gain for those who quit smoking at the age of 35 and a 1.8 – 4.5 life year gain for physical activity person versus an inactive person. The research also showed that coffee consumption may be a cost-effective way to prevent chronic disease such as Alzheimer's, depression, diabetes, heart failure, Parkinson's and stroke as well as cancer.

Furthermore, Xcenda quantified the potential health economic impact of coffee consumption in the United States for healthcare payers over one year by estimating the healthcare cost savings of coffee consumption associated with prevention of chronic disease. Of the diseases included in the analyses, the effect on diabetes prevention was the most impactful and was responsible for $175 annual healthcare savings per coffee drinker.

"Our health economic model estimated that coffee consumption prevents over 50,000 deaths per year due to chronic disease and cancer and results in an estimated healthcare savings of $33.4 billion per year," said Ken O'Day, PhD, MPA, and Director at Xcenda. "This shows us that coffee may be more than just a morning pick-me-up"

Xcenda's coffee study was conducted and tested by fellows and seasoned researchers throughout 2013. The company presented the findings at the 2014 ISPOR (International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research) conference.