Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages heightens death risk: Circulation

USA: Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) is associated with higher all-cause mortality, largely through increased CVD mortality, a recent study in the journal Circulation has found. Further, artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) were found to be positively associated with mortality only among women with high consumption levels.

Throwing light on findings from the study Alice H. Lichtenstein, Gershoff Professor of Nutrition Science and Policy has given a presentation at the virtual Heart in Diabetes Conference held from Aug. 21-24, 2020 (virtual). According to the speaker, greater efforts are needed to decrease the consumption of SSBs in the US despite warnings about health risks associated with their consumption.

SSBs are the single largest source of added sugar in the US diet. It includes both carbonated and non-carbonated soft drinks, sports drinks, and fruit drinks that contain added caloric sweeteners such as fruit juice concentrates, sucrose, and high fructose corn syrup. Previous studies have shown SSBs intake to be associated with multiple adverse effects on health including weight gain, higher risk of type 2 diabetes, stroke, and coronary heart disease. However, only a few studies have examined the association between SSB intake and mortality.