Love drinking fruit juices, soda? They may increase diabetes risk, says study

Love to drink sugar-sweetened beverages like soda, fruit juice, or energy and sports drinks? They may raise your risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D), according to a study.

However, dietary sugars consumed in or added to nutrient-dense foods, such as whole fruits, dairy products, or whole grains, do not cause metabolic overload in the liver, said researchers from Brigham Young University in the US.

These embedded sugars elicit slower blood glucose responses due to accompanying fiber, fats, proteins, and other beneficial nutrients, the team said.

For the study, published in the journal Advances in Nutrition, researchers analysed data from over half a million people across multiple continents.

They found that with each additional 350 ml serving of sugar-sweetened beverages (that is, soft drinks, energy drinks, and sports drinks) per day, the risk of developing T2D increased by 25 per cent.

This strong relationship showed that the increased risk began from the very first daily serving with no minimum threshold below which intake appeared to be safe.

With each additional 250 millilitres (ml) serving of fruit juice per day (that is, 100 per cent fruit juice, nectars, and juice drinks), the risk of developing T2D increased by 5 per cent.

“This is the first study to draw clear dose-response relationships between different sugar sources and type 2 diabetes risk,” said lead author Karen Della Corte, BYU nutritional science professor.

“It highlights why drinking your sugar — whether from soda or juice — is more problematic for health than eating it,” she added.

The team noted that sugar-sweetened beverages and fruit juice supply isolated sugars, leading to a greater glycemic impact that would overwhelm and disrupt liver metabolism, thereby increasing liver fat and insulin resistance.

“This study underscores the need for even more stringent recommendations for liquid sugars such as those in sugar-sweetened beverages and fruit juice, as they appear to harmfully associate with metabolic health,” Della Corte said.

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