Sweetened beverages linked to risk of heart disease

Previous research has linked sugar-sweetened beverages to weight gain and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. The study reviewed here investigated the association between sugar-sweetened beverages and the risk for coronary heart disease in 88,250 women aged 34-59 years (Fung T.T. et al, 2009). These women were free of heart disease at the start of the study and were followed for 24 years.

The more often these women consumed the sweet beverages, the higher was the risk for coronary heart disease. The researchers concluded that even after other unhealthful lifestyles or dietary factors were accounted for, regular consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with a higher risk of coronary heart disease in women.