ABSTRACT

Background/Objectives:
Evidence regarding the associations between coffee and tea consumption and bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women remains inconclusive. Prior studies have not examined these relationships using repeated measures of both beverage intake and BMD over an extended follow-up. This study aimed to evaluate the longitudinal associations of coffee and tea consumption with BMD in older women.

Methods:
Data were drawn from the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF), a prospective cohort of 9704 women aged ≥65 years. Coffee and tea intake were repeatedly assessed via self-administered questionnaires at visits 2, 4, 5, and 6, spanning approximately 10 years. Femoral neck and total hip BMD were repeatedly measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Linear mixed-effects models with random intercepts were used to estimate associations, adjusting for demographic, physical activity, comorbidities, and medication use. Nonlinear relationships were assessed using natural splines, and subgroup analyses were conducted using exposure-by-covariate interaction terms.

Results:
During the 10-year follow-up, tea consumption was positively associated with total hip BMD (least squares mean: 0.718 vs. 0.715 g/cm2; mean difference: 0.003; 95% CI: 0.000–0.005; p = 0.026). No significant overall association was observed on coffee consumption with femoral neck or total hip BMD. However, spline analyses suggested that consuming more than five cups of coffee per day may be associated with lower BMD. Interaction analyses indicated significant interactions between coffee and alcohol intake (p = 0.0147) and between tea consumption and BMI (p = 0.0175).

Conclusions:
Tea consumption was associated with higher total hip BMD in postmenopausal women, whereas excessive coffee intake (>5 cups/day) may adversely affect BMD. Coffee consumption was negatively associated with femoral neck BMD in women with higher alcohol intake, while tea consumption appeared particularly beneficial for those with obesity.

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