Elevated Health Risk For Teens Who Drink More Than A Can Of Soft Drink Daily, Study

A study by Australian researchers have shown that teenagers who drink more than one can of sugary drink a day have a higher risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular diseases later in life.

AsianScientist (Jun. 19, 2013) – A study by Australian researchers have shown that teenagers who drink more than one can of sugary drink a day have a higher risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular diseases later in life.

The researchers found that teenagers who drank about a standard can (375g) of soft drink a day had lower levels of ‘good’ cholesterol and higher levels of the ‘bad’ triglyceride form of fat in their blood, regardless of whether they were overweight.

Based on a combination of factors associated with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease – including weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels – these teenagers were determined to have a higher risk of developing cardio-metabolic disease later in life.

The study, published in the The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, followed more than 1,400 teenagers aged between 14 and 17 years from the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study.

“It is already widely accepted that a high consumption of sugary drinks increases obesity risk in young people,” said Dr Gina Ambrosini, lead researcher of the study.

“What is important about this study is that excessive sugary drink consumption appears to increase risk factors for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, even in young people who are not overweight.

“This study shows that greater intakes of sugary drinks may put young people on a path to the early development of risk factors associated with diabetes and cardiovascular disease.”

The latest Australian National Nutrition Survey found that 55 percent of all sugary drinks were consumed at home and low-income families drank more sugary drinks and had a higher risk of obesity.

“This highlights the potential for parents to influence how much sugary drink their children consume because parents are the main purchaser of food and beverages consumed at home,” said Professor Wendy Oddy, a co-author of the study.

“Consumption should be moderate so if kids are drinking a lot of sugary drinks, they should drink less. Water is the best option, or parents should consider switching to lower sugar alternatives or diet drinks.”

The article can be found at: Ambrosini et al. (2013) Prospective Associations Between Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intakes And Cardiometabolic Risk Factors In Adolescents.

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Source: UWA; Photo: Tambako the Jaguar/Flickr.
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