Regular coffee drinkers 'at increased risk of weight gain' But the study - published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry - actually found that too much coffee, including decaffeinated, could be bad for people's health. Assistant Prof Vance Matthews, of the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research, said: "This study proved the opposite in dosages equivalent to five or six cups of coffee per day." The researchers found that the equivalent dose of CGA fed to laboratory mice affected the utilisation of fat in the liver and caused abnormal retention of fat within cells. The obese mice also had a tendency for a higher degree of glucose intolerance and increased insulin resistance. Prof Matthews said coffee was safe in moderation but cautioned against drinking too much. "It seems that the health effects are dose-dependent," he said. A moderate intake of coffee, up to three to four cups a day still seems to decrease the risk of developing diseases such as cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes. Everybody knows about the effects of caffeine, but when we're considering our lifestyle choices it's important to remember that compounds such as CGA can have an effect on our health if they aren't consumed in moderation. The study, carried out in conjunction with Western Australia's School of Medicine and Pharmacology, found that people who look slim can have dangerous amounts of fat around their abdominal organs, which causes diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other health problems. Prof Matthews said: "There's a lot of people who look quite lean but they have accumulation of fat in certain cells around the organs and in the liver. This could be worsened by drinking too much coffee.