Just in case there wasn’t already enough scientific evidence to convince you that drinking sodas and other sugary drinks are bad for you, new research has found that these sweetened beverages can significantly increase a person’s risk of heart attack and cardiovascular disease.
The study, which was published this week in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, found that consuming one or two servings of sugary beverages per day could increase the risk of heart attack or fatal heart disease by 35 percent. Furthermore, such habits were linked with an up to 26 percent risk of developing type 2 diabetes and a 16 percent increase in stroke risk.
Lead investigator Dr. Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and his colleagues looked at data from recent epidemiological studies and meta-analyses in what they are calling “the most comprehensive review of the evidence on the health effects of sugar-sweetened beverages to date.”
Considering that half of all Americans consume at least one of these beverages each day, and one-fourth drinks at least 200 calories worth every day, Hu said that the findings “underscore the urgent need for public health strategies that reduce the consumption of these drinks.”
Fructose is the primary culprit
The study focused on the role of fructose in the development of these health problems. Fructose, which in sodas and sugary drinks is often found as high fructose corn syrup, is typically used in the US as a low-cost alternative to sucrose, the researchers said. Specifically, they analyzed how fructose is metabolized in the body, and how it leads to weight gain and other issues.
While glucose, another component of sugar, is readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract into the bloodstream, then transported via insulin into the body’s cells and used as fuel, the same cannot be said for fructose. Instead, the latter sugar is metabolized in the liver, where it could be converted into triglycerides, a fatty compound that could lead to insulin resistance.
In addition, the study authors noted that consuming too much fructose can cause a person’s body to produce too much uric acid in the blood, potentially increasing the risk of contracting a type of painful inflammatory arthritis known as gout. Since fructose and glucose are both typically found in sugar-sweetened drinks, the authors say it is important to consume less of these beverages.
“Although reducing the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages or added sugar alone is unlikely to solve the obesity epidemic entirely, limiting intake is one simple change that will have a measurable impact on weight control and prevention of cardio-metabolic diseases,” Hu said, adding that he hoped the study would lead to nutritional labels revealing the total added sugar content of a drink, as well as the percentage daily value of those added sugars.
—–
Feature Image: Thinkstock
Comments