Just two cans of soda a week are enough to increase the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, warns new research.
The study also suggests drinking just one 12-ounce can of soda can raise blood pressure as it contains 14 more grams of sugar than the daily recommended serving.
And while high-levels of sugary beverages are long-known to cause obesity and lead to chronic illness, soda consumption is steadily rising among all age groups worldwide.
Now, researchers have found more evidence that just a small amount of soda weekly leads to the risk of metabolic syndrome – a cluster of conditions that raise the chances of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
Drinking more than two sugary soda drinks a week increase the risk of Type 2 diabetes while just one was enough to raise blood pressure, a new study reports
The findings published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society reveal the risk factors of soda including weight gain, high levels of fats in the blood known as triglycerides, elevated blood pressure, high blood sugar and reduced ‘good’ cholesterol levels.
Seventy-four percent of the 85,451 different edible products on the US market, mainly cereals, energy bars and beverages, contained added sugars.
A regular 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola contains 39 grams of sugar. That’s 14 grams more than an average adult should consume daily.
The study analyzed 36 different studies of individuals who drank more than five sugary beverages a week and the risk factors of soda consumption from the past decade.
The researchers focused on overall trends as some recent studies reached neutral or negative findings. However, most of the data shows sufficient evidence to prove a strong link between soda, weight gain and the eventual risk of metabolic syndrome.
Some of the findings reveal that regular sugar-sweetened beverage intake can effect insulin levels contributing to the development of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.
In the study, individuals consuming sugary beverages for 10 weeks displayed a 17 percent decrease in insulin sensitivity.
There is also evidence that frequently drinking soda is linked to hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
The UN warned six years ago that chronic diseases posed a greater health risk than infectious diseases. Metabolic syndrome and diabetes cause 19 million deaths a year globally.
Study senior author Professor Faadiel Essop, of Stellenbosch University in South Africa, said: ‘The increased prevalence of cardiometabolic disorders is strongly linked to greater urbanization and the adoption of detrimental lifestyle choices that include sedentary behavior, smoking and poor dietary preferences.’
He added: ‘For example, excess sugar consumption has surfaced as one of the most prominent global dietary changes during the past few decades and is considered a primary driver of cardiometabolic diseases onset.’
A 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola contains 39 grams of sugar and 140 calories.
And while most people think they can escape the risk by drinking diet soda which contains zero grams of sugar and 10 calories, other studies have proven it carries similar risks as regular soda.
Diet sodas use artificial sweeteners and unlike its name, is just as likely to lead to obesity as regularly sweetened drinks.
Those who drink diet soda have significantly increased risks of developing diabetes, heart disease or having a stroke.
‘The findings demonstrate there is a clear need for public education about the harmful effects of excess consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages,’ Essop said.