Sugary drinks appear to increase health risks for people with diabetes
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- Reviewed by Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
People with type 2 diabetes have higher risks of developing cardiovascular disease or dying earlier if they drink a lot of sugary beverages, including soda, fruit punch, or lemonade, a new study suggests. But that risk is lower if they drink healthier choices.
The Harvard-led study, published online April 19, 2023, by The BMJ, involved 9,252 women and 3,519 men who were diagnosed with diabetes at the study's start or at some point during the following 18.5 years. Every two to four years, participants reported how often they drank sugary beverages, artificially sweetened drinks, fruit juice, coffee, tea, low- or full-fat cow's milk, or water.
Those who regularly drank sugar-sweetened drinks were more likely than other participants to have cardiovascular disease, die from it, or die for any reason during the study period. Each daily serving of a sugary drink raised the risk of dying from any cause by 8%. But all such risks decreased among participants who drank healthier beverages. These findings can help people with diabetes to better manage the condition, study authors said.
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About the Author
Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
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