Excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
A new study from Harvard University published in the “British Medical Journal” showed that excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
Meanwhile, it was found that drinks such as coffee, tea, low-fat milk and water have a positive effect on health.
Harvard researchers wanted to examine how consumption of various beverages affects patients with type 2 diabetes. They analyzed health data from 9,252 women and 3,519 men for an average of 18.5 years. All participants were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at baseline or during the study. Participants self-reported every two to four years how often they consumed carbonated beverages, artificially sweetened beverages, fruit juices, coffee, tea, low-fat cow’s milk, full-fat cow’s milk, and plain water.
The results showed that those who regularly drank sodas had a higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, as well as other non-heart-related diseases. However, this risk was reduced in those who regularly drank beverages such as coffee, tea, low-fat cow’s milk and/or water.
“Beverages are an important component of our diet, and the quality can vary greatly,” said the study’s lead author, Ki Sun, an associate professor in the Department of Nutrition and Epidemiology. He added that if one dose of carbonated drink is replaced with unsweetened coffee, it can greatly reduce this risk of fatal cardiovascular disease, even by 20 percent.
(WORLD)