A study by the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health in the U.S. is sounding the alarm: regular consumption of sugary drinks is associated with weight gain and risk of obesity, as well as chronic metabolic diseases such as metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.
Metabolic syndrome is a combination of medical disorders that increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes—affecting one in five people, and prevalence increases with age. Some studies estimate it effects up to 25 per cent of the U.S. population.
After collating all the data from eleven different studies with a total of 310,819 participants, researchers concluded risk is highest for a person who drinks 1-2 servings of 12 ounces (355 ml) daily. Each of these drinks contains 15 to 40 g of added sugar, creating high blood sugar levels to the point of increasing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 26 per cent, and of metabolic syndrome by 20 per cent.
Between 1970 and 2006 in the U.S., average consumption of sugary drinks, like soft drinks, fruit drinks, iced tea, as well as energy and vitamin water, more than doubled from 64 calories to 142 calories per day. It’s highly recommended people opt for healthier choices like water.