Type 2 diabetes has been associated with a number of different factors such as obesity, lack of exercise, smoking and many others. What you choose to drink may also be associated with type 2 diabetes risk. While sugary drinks such as soda and iced tea have long been a known factor for diabetes risk, recent research shows that it may not matter whether you are obese or lean to increase your risk in developing the said disease.
A team of international researchers headed by the MRC Epidemiology Unit at Cambridge University sought out to determine whether habitual consumption of drinks sweetened with sugar, artificially sweetened drinks or fruit juice may be associated with type to diabetes risk and up to what extent. The researchers analyzed the results of 17 observational studies. They also took into account the design and the quality of the studies in order to minimize bias.
The researchers found out that consumption of sugary drinks was positively associated with type 2 diabetes risk, regardless and independent of obesity factors. This means that even if you are thin or lean, drinking sugary drinks like soda regularly can have a substantial increase in type 2 diabetes risk. The association between artificially sweetened drinks and fruit juices and type 2 diabetes risk was less evident although researchers also found little evidence of any benefit. The researchers concluded that these drinks are not likely to be healthier alternatives for preventing type 2 diabetes.
Since the analytical study is merely observational, there is no definitive conclusion to be made with regards to cause and effect. But based on their observations, the researchers estimate that two million cases of new-onset type 2 diabetes cases in the USA and 80,000 cases in the UK from 2010 to 2020 can be attributed to the consumption of sugar sweetened beverages. Results of the study are published in the British Medical Journal.
Source: BMJ. (2015, July 21). Regular consumption of sugary drinks associated with type 2 diabetes: Sugar sweetened drinks may give rise to nearly 2 million diabetes cases over 10 years in the US and 80,000 in the UK. ScienceDaily. Retrieved July 23, 2015 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/07/150721193839.htm
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