One Cup of Coffee a Day Modulates the Relationship between Metabolic Syndrome and Eating Fast: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Eating speed has been implicated as a leading cause of metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, it is difficult to break the habit of eating fast. Since coffee consumption is associated with a lower risk of MetS, we investigated the association between eating speed and the amount of coffee consumed with MetS. Methods: This study included data from 3881 participants (2498 females and 1383 males). We used a self-administered questionnaire to collect information on participants' coffee consumption (<1 cup/day and >= 1 cup/day) and eating speed (slow, normal, or fast). Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using logistic regression analyses to investigate the relationship between the prevalence of MetS due to eating speed and the amount of coffee consumed. Results: The group that consumed >= 1 cup/day of coffee (filtered or instant) had a lower OR for MetS compared to the group that consumed <1 cup/day (OR: 0.695; 95% Cl: 0.570-0.847). The eating fast group, compared to the eating slow group, had a higher OR for MetS (OR: 1.689; 95% Cl: 1.227-2.324). When the data were stratified by coffee consumption and eating speed groups, the slow-eating group among those who consumed <1 cup/day of coffee (filtered or instant) had a lower OR for MetS (OR: 0.502; 95% CI: 0.296-0.851) compared to the fast-eating group. In contrast, the groups who consumed >= 1 cup/day of coffee were associated with lower OR for MetS, regardless of their eating speed. Conclusions: This suggests that drinking >= 1 cup/day of coffee may help prevent MetS induced by eating fast.