According to new research by Kit Out My Office, women in workplaces across the UK drink more hot drinks than men, with coffee being the preferred choice.
59% of women stated that they drink four or more cups every day versus only 42% of men drinking the same amount. When quizzed on the reason for drinking coffee, 64% of women said they choose the beverage due to the associated health benefits and not taste.
There is research that supports the reasoning adopted by women. Dr Marc Gunter, of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and co-author of the largest study ever undertaken on the effect of coffee consumption on the risk of mortality, said:
“Incorporating coffee into your diet can have health benefits. We found that higher coffee consumption was associated with a lower risk of death from any cause, and specifically for circulatory diseases and digestive diseases.”
The main health benefits cited –
1. Coffee helps burn fat.
Many respondents stated that they are actively dieting and have read that coffee is proven to aid in fat burning.
2. Drinking coffee helps fight depression and makes you happier.
One respondent, a lady who works in the IT industry, specifically referenced a 2011 Harvard study, which states that women who drank more than 4 cups of coffee per day had a 20% lower risk of becoming depressed.
3. Coffee can help you live longer.
By far the most popular response, respondents were keen state that coffee is often linked to reducing the risk of many diseases and in turn, potentially helping you live longer.
In addition to the above, the research found that the overwhelming majority of office workers that drink coffee in the UK visit a café for coffee at least once a month, with almost half of the people surveyed actually going weekly.
The primary reason given for visiting a café regularly was not to get away from the office, but to simply drink better tasting coffee than what was available in the workplace. Women were more likely to provide this response than men, meaning that they may have started drinking coffee for health reasons, but they also want to enjoy what they’re drinking.
Gareth Jones, Commercial Manager at Kit Out My Office, found the survey results to be very interesting: “should we be surprised by the fact that coffee is primarily being drank by women for health reasons, but they want to enjoy what they’re drinking? Absolutely not. However, we should be surprised by the reasoning used to visit a café for a meeting instead of holding it in the office.”
Gareth went on to say: “I often hear and read that changing your environment for a meeting will result in an increase in productivity and morale, but it’s not as simple as that. What seems to be more important to coffee drinkers, at least, is the quality of the drink they’re having. So perhaps investing in a good coffee machine for your office is an option that will please the majority of staff.”
For more analysis of the survey, visit the Office Drinking Habits 2017 results page on the Kit Out My Office website.
