SUGARY DRINKS, A FACTOR IN CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE – REPORT

Dayo Ojerinde

A recent research published in a journal, Circulation, reveals an association between sugary drinks and an increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

According to sciencedaily.com, the study shows that when people consume more sugary drinks the risk of death from cardiovascular  disease rises.

To understand this association, researchers looked at the data from 37,716 men in the ‘Health Professionals Follow-Up Study’ and 80,647 women in the ‘Nurses’ Health Study.’

The researchers also looked at the connection between artificially-sweetened drinks and death and found  out that replacing a sugary drink with an artificially-sweetened beverage lowered the risk of death.

They, however, noted that drinking four or more artificially -sweetened beverages was associated with a higher risk of death among women.

The study’s lead author, Dr Vasanti Malik, said, “Drinking water in place of sugary drinks is a healthy choice that could contribute to longevity.

“Diet soda may be used to help frequent consumers of sugary drinks cut back their consumption, but water is the best and healthiest choice.”

The study authors also wrote that added sugar could really add up over the course of a day and lead to unwanted effects.

They said, “Substituting an artificially-sweetened drink for one laden in sugar can be a good idea, but for those who consume four or more per day, it might not be as safe as most people believe. Water not only takes the place of beverages that carry health risks, but it is also crucial for good health, as it helps regulate temperature, keeps joints in good shape, and helps rid the body of waste.” (Punchng)