A new study shows an increased risk of premature death for those with type 2 diabetes when sugar-sweetened drinks like soda or lemonade are consumed regularly over water or tea. File photo by John Angelillo/UPI/ |
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April 20 (UPI) -- A new study shows an increased risk of premature death for those with type 2 diabetes when sugar-sweetened drinks like soda or lemonade are consumed regularly over water or tea.
The study, published Wednesday and led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, is the first large-scale examination of the link between beverage consumption and premature death or cardiovascular disease for those living with type 2 diabetes, despite previous studies linking beverage consumption with cardiovascular health, weight change and mortality among the general population.
"Beverages are an important component of our diet, and the quality can vary hugely," said lead author Qi Sun, associate professor in the Departments of Nutrition and Epidemiology.
"People living with diabetes may especially benefit from drinking healthy beverages -- but data has been sparse," Sun said. "These findings help fill in that knowledge gap and may inform patients and their caregivers on diet and diabetes management."
During the study, researchers analyzed more than 18 years of health data from 9,252 women and 3,519 men, who had all been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The participants reported every few years on what beverages they consumed daily. Sugar-sweetened beverages included sodas, fruit punch and lemonade. Artificially sweetened beverages included juice, coffee, tea, low-fat cow's milk, full-fat cow's milk and plain water.
With each additional daily serving of a sugary drink, there was an 8% increase in all-cause mortality, researchers said. That number decreased for those who consumed healthier beverages regularly.
The number dropped by 18% for all-cause mortality and 20% for cardiovascular disease when those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes replaced one drink a day with coffee. The risk of premature death dropped by 16% for tea and water.
"People living with diabetes should be picky about how they keep themselves hydrated," said Sun.
"Switching from sugar-sweetened beverages to healthier beverages will bring health benefits."
