Daily use of sugary drinks increases dyslipidemia risk
BOSTON -- People who consume sugary drinks every day were at greater risk of developing abnormal lipid levels.
Researchers have found that middle-aged and older adults who drank sugary beverages daily were at greater risk of developing abnormal cholesterol and triglyceride levels compared to those who rarely drank those beverages.Drinking 12 ounces of sugary drinks more than once per day is linked to lower levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and higher levels of triglycerides, in middle aged and older adults, both of which have been shown to increase risk of cardiovascular disease.
The study has been published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
The study, led by scientists at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University (HNRCA), found that adults who drank at least one sugary beverage daily during the most recent period of follow-up, which was roughly four years before the assessment of lipid levels, had a 98 percent higher chance of developing low HDL (good) cholesterol and a 53 percent higher chance of developing high triglycerides, when compared to the group who seldom consumed sugary drinks. The researchers observed similar results when they examined long-term intakes of sugary beverages during a follow-up time of about 12 years.
Cholesterol and triglycerides are part of what is commonly referred to as a complete cholesterol test. When some elements of the test are abnormal, the condition is called dyslipidemia, which affects roughly half of American adults. Elevated LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides, along with low good cholesterol levels, indicate a higher risk for heart disease.
"The results suggest that high intake of drinks with added sugar, such as soda, lemonade or fruit punch, may influence risk for dyslipidemia as we age," said corresponding and last author Nicola McKeown, nutritional epidemiologist at the HNRCA. "One dietary strategy to help maintain healthier blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels may be to avoid drinks with added sugars."
The researchers also found that high sugary beverage intake was associated with HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels that, measured at approximately four-year intervals, were moving in the wrong direction among daily sugary beverage drinkers when compared to those who rarely drank beverages with added sugar - even for a group of adults whose average age was in their 40s.
"Researchers analyzed how the different drink types and their consumption levels correlated with changes in cholesterol and triglyceride levels over approximately four-year periods. They found that:
Drinking sugar-sweetened beverages (more than 12 ounces per day) was associated with a 53% higher incidence of high triglycerides and a 98% higher incidence of low HDL cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol) compared to those who drank less than one serving per month;
Drinking low-calorie sweetened beverages did not appear to be associated with increased dyslipidemia risk among the people who regularly drank low-calorie sweetened beverages; and
Regularly drinking up to 12 ounces of 100% fruit juice per day was not associated with adverse changes in cholesterol or dyslipidemia, though further research is needed to warrant this finding.
"Reducing the number of or eliminating sugary drink consumption may be one strategy that could help people keep their triglyceride and HDL cholesterol at healthier levels," said lead study author Nicola McKeown, Ph.D., a nutrition epidemiologist at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston. "And, while our study didn't find negative consequences on blood lipids from drinking low-calorie sweetened drinks, there may be health consequences of consuming these beverages on other risk factors. Water remains the preferred and healthiest beverage."
"Our findings show that what we put in our glass may contribute to greater risk of cardiovascular disease via worsening of lipid levels. Managing blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels is an important goal and a promising strategy for preventing heart attack and stroke," McKeown said.
As expected and consistent with previous research, sugary beverage consumption was not linked to risk for higher LDL (bad) cholesterol, the authors said.
The researchers analyzed data from more than 5,900 people, comparing changes in blood cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations between exams. Participants were categorized according to the types and frequency of beverages they consumed. The study participants were examined at intervals of four years on average and followed for about 12 years as part of the Framingham Heart Study, which has monitored multiple generations to identify contributors to cardiovascular disease. In their statistical analysis, the researchers adjusted for other factors known to influence cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations, such as obesity, overall diet quality, physical activity, alcohol intake, and the use of cholesterol-lowering drugs.
There are some limitations to the study, including the use of self-reported food data from food frequency questionnaires. The findings are also only generalizable to middle-aged or older adults of European descent. Due to its observational design, the study does not reflect a causal relationship between sugary drink consumption and abnormal cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
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