Associations of coffee genetic risk scores with coffee, tea and other beverages in the UK Biobank

Abstract

Background: Genetic variants which determine amount of coffee consumed have been identified in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of coffee consumption; these may help to further understanding of the effects of coffee on health outcomes. However, there is limited information about how these variants relate to caffeinated beverage consumption more generally. Aims: To improve phenotype definition for coffee consumption related genetic risk scores by testing their association with coffee, tea and other beverages. Methods: We tested the associations of genetic risk scores for coffee consumption with beverage consumption in 114,316 individuals of European ancestry from the UK Biobank. Drinks were self-reported in a baseline questionnaire and in detailed 24 dietary recall questionnaires in a subset. Results: Genetic risk scores including two and eight single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) explained up to 0.39%, 0.19% and 0.77% of the variance in coffee, tea and combined coffee and tea consumption respectively. A one standard deviation increase in the 8 SNP genetic risk score was associated with a 0.13 cup per day (95% CI: 0.12, 0.14), 0.12 cup per day (95%CI: 0.11, 0.14) and 0.25 cup per day (95% CI: 0.24, 0.27) increase in coffee, tea and combined tea and coffee consumption, respectively. Genetic risk scores also demonstrated positive associations with both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee and tea consumption. In 48,692 individuals with dietary recall data, the genetic risk scores were positively associated with coffee and tea, (apart from herbal teas) consumption, but did not show clear evidence for positive associations with other beverages. However, there was evidence that the genetic risk scores were associated with lower daily water consumption and lower overall drink consumption. Conclusions: Genetic risk scores created from variants identified in coffee consumption GWAS associate more broadly with caffeinated beverage consumption and also with decaffeinated coffee and tea consumption.