The consumption of certain foods is associated with health problems, and one of the most pointed out by specialists in dietetics and nutrition is sugary drinks, which numerous studies have also associated with the development of diseases, including cancer. New research has now found that sugary drinks can increase the risk of people with type 2 diabetes dying prematurely and that if they replace a daily portion of these products with water, tea or coffee, the chances are reduced by up to 18%.
The study has been carried out by researchers from the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health who have linked a high consumption of sugary drinks with a high risk of premature death and incidence of cardiovascular diseases among diabetic patients. They also observed that ingesting other drinks such as coffee, tea, low-fat cow’s milk, and tap water was associated with less risk of premature death. The findings have been published in The BMJ.
Previous studies had already analyzed how the consumption of sugary drinks influenced the health of the general population and had found that it increased the chances of dying from cancer or cardiovascular diseases. In this case, the researchers focused on evaluating its impact in people with type 2 diabetes.
Hydrating with healthy drinks prevents diabetes complications
Researchers analyzed health data from 9,252 women in the Nurses’ Health Study and 3,519 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study who had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at the start of the study or at some point in the study. this, for an average of 18.5 years. Every two to four years, these people reported how often they consumed sugar-sweetened beverages (including soda, fruit punch, and lemonade), artificially sweetened beverages, fruit juices, coffee, tea, low-fat cow’s milk, or whole, and running water.
In people with type 2 diabetes, each additional daily serving of a sugary drink was associated with 8% more all-cause mortality.
The results of the study showed that diabetics who drank sugary drinks on a regular basis had higher all-cause mortality and higher incidence and mortality from cardiovascular disease. Specifically, each additional daily dose of a sugary drink was associated with 8% more all-cause mortality. Conversely, all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease incidence and mortality were reduced among those who consumed regularly. healthier drinks such as coffee, tea, low-fat cow’s milk or plain water.
Substituting a daily dose of sugary drinks for a cup of coffee was associated with an 18% lower risk of all-cause mortality and a 20% lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality; if it was replaced by tea with 16% and 24% less risk; plain water with 16% and 20% less risk; and low-fat cow’s milk with 12% and 19% less risk.
In the case of artificially sweetened beverages, their consumption was also associated with healthier outcomes, but to a lesser extent; Thus, substituting a daily serving of sugary drinks for one with artificial sweeteners was associated with an 8% lower risk of mortality from all causes and a 15% lower risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease.
“People living with diabetes may especially benefit from drinking healthy beverages, but data has been sparse. These findings help fill that knowledge gap and can inform patients and their caregivers about the diet and diabetes control”, has declared Qi Sun, associate professor in the Departments of Nutrition and Epidemiology and main author of the work, which concludes that “people with diabetes must be demanding with the way they stay hydrated”. “Switching from sugary drinks to healthier drinks will bring health benefits.”
Source: www.webconsultas.com
