Risk of diabetes increases by 50% with just one can of fizzy drink a day

November 10, 2016

Adults who drank 1 a day had a 46% higher chance of having pre-diabetes
If diagnosed early, the condition can be beaten through lifestyle changes
Sugary drinks were also increased insulin resistance – a risk factor of type 2
However, diet versions of fizzy drinks didn’t increase risk of the condition

Stephen Matthews For Mailonline

Published:
14:00 EST, 9 November 2016

|
Updated:
17:33 EST, 9 November 2016

e-mail

View
comments

Drinking just one can of fizzy drink every day could have deadly consequences, scientists warn.

Adults who drank one a day had a 46 per cent increased chance of developing pre-diabetes – when the blood glucose level is higher than normal.

If diagnosed early, it can be beaten through lifestyle changes such as a healthy diet and exercise.

However, if left untreated it can lead to type 2, which, if not managed properly, can lead to devastating and fatal complications, including heart attacks.

Sugary drinks were also linked to a rise in insulin resistance, which is known to be a risk factor of type 2 diabetes.

However, diet versions of fizzy drinks did not increase the risk of developing the condition, experts found.

Adults who drank one fizzy drink a day had a 46 per cent increased chance of developing pre-diabetes, which can lead to type 2, scientists found

Researchers from Tufts University, Massachusetts, analysed 1,685 middle-aged adults over a period of 14 years.

Participants did not have any form of diabetes during an initial examination and they self-reported their long-term sugar-sweetened beverage consumption.

Those who drank the highest amounts – an average of more than half a pint a week – had a ‘significantly’ greater risk of developing pre-diabetes.

Why statins really DO work: Higher doses cut the risk of…

Why a lack of sleep increases the risk of diabetes: Less…

NHS admissions reach all-time high: Ageing population fuels…

Are celebrity older mothers to blame? Number of women over…

While the highest consumers of sugar-sweetened beverages had roughly eight per cent higher insulin resistance scores.

Even after accounting for change in weight and other aspects of diet, the relationships between sugar-sweetened beverages and these metabolic risk factors for diabetes persisted.

Lead researcher Dr Nicola McKeown said: ‘Although our study cannot establish causality, our results suggest that high sugar-sweetened beverage intake increases the chances of developing early warning signs for type 2 diabetes.

If diagnosed early, pre-diabetes can be beaten through lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise. However, if left untreated it can lead to type 2 – which can be fatal

‘If lifestyle changes are not made, individuals with pre-diabetes are on the trajectory to developing diabetes.

‘Our findings support recommendations to limit sugar-sweetened beverage intake, which can be achieved by replacing sugary beverages with healthier alternatives such as water or unsweetened coffee or tea.

WHAT IS TYPE 2 DIABETES?

In type 2 diabetes, the body fails to use insulin properly – known to scientists as insulin resistance.

Initially, the pancreas attempts to make more to make up for the body’s failings. But over time the pancreas is unable to keep up and can’t make enough insulin to keep blood glucose levels normal.

Sufferers are often at higher risk of heart disease – believed to be responsible for 80 per cent of deaths of diabetes patients – if their condition is poorly managed.

Someone with type 2 diabetes is likely to be reduced, as a result of the condition, by up to 10 years, it is believed.

‘This is a simple dietary modification that could be of substantial health benefit to people who consume sugary drinks daily and who are at increased risk of diabetes.’

Dr McKeown said more research was needed on the long-term effects of diet drinks as previous studies showed mixed results.

But she noted a huge body of research which has linked regular consumption of fizzy drinks to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

Study co-author Dr Jiantao Ma added: ‘Based on our observational study alone, we cannot be certain why we saw the relationships we did.

‘Additional studies are needed to fully understand the health impact of sugar-sweetened beverages and diet sodas.

‘Nevertheless, our data is consistent with many other studies and clinical trials that support the health benefits of reducing sugar intake, and we encourage the public to look for healthier options.’

The study was published in the Journal of Nutrition.