Green tea intake in relation to serum lipid levels in middle-aged Japanese men and women

PURPOSE: The relationship between green tea intake and serum concentrations of total cholesterol, triglycerides, and high density lipoprotein cholesterol was examined. METHODS: The subjects were 630 middle-aged men and their 370 wives sampled from five regions of Japan during 1989–1991. Consumption frequency of 38 foods, including green tea, was determined by interview. Three-day food records were collected from 207 of the men and 164 of the wives. The mean serum concentrations of the three lipids were compared according to the three levels of daily green tea intake (<1 cup, 1–4 cups, and >4 cups), with adjustments for various health habits, food frequencies, and nutrient intakes. RESULTS: After extensive multivariate adjustments for nondietary and dietary covariates, green tea was not associated with any of the three lipid levels. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this cross-sectional study do not support the beneficial effects of green tea on serum lipid levels.