Heterogeneous impact of tea consumption on COPD risk in smokers: insights from the PIFCOPD study

Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a highly prevalent disease worldwide, with smoking identified as the main risk factor. Emerging evidence suggests that tea consumption may confer protective effects on lung health. However, it remains unclear whether tea consumption can mitigate the adverse effects of smoking on COPD risk. This study aimed to investigate the association between tea consumption and COPD risk, and to examine whether this association differs by smoking status. Methods The Predictive Value of Inflammatory Biomarkers and Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 s (PIFCOPD) study is a multicenter prospective cohort (2018–2021) involving 7,252 participants (6,855 with normal lung function; 397 with COPD). Data on demographic characteristics, smoking status, and tea consumption were collected. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between tea consumption and COPD risk. Interaction and stratified analyses based on smoking status were performed. Results The proportion of tea consumption was 20.9% in the normal lung function group and 24.4% in the COPD group, with no significant difference. Tea consumption was not associated with COPD risk in the general population. However, interaction and stratified analysis based on smoking status showed that fully fermented tea consumption was associated with a protective effect against COPD in smokers (OR 0.21), especially when consumed ≥ 7 times per week and for ≥ 10 years. In contrast, jasmine tea emerged as a potential risk factor (OR 1.99), especially when consumed for ≥ 10 years. Conclusion In the general population, the effect of tea consumption on the prevalence risk of COPD is significant only in smokers, and this effect is modulated by the type, frequency and duration of tea consumption.