Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) provide only “empty” calories without healthful nutrients, and sugar in liquid form is likely to be less satiating. This leads to
the consumption of excess calories and obesity. Since 1950 consumption of SSBs has increased by a factor of five and now contributes nearly 50% of added sugars in
the American diet. Between 1965 and 2002, the proportion of total dietary calories provided by beverages increased from 11.8% to 21.0%,52 and the epidemic of overweight and obesity in America became much worse. Studies, including meta-analysis, have concluded that consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and nonalcoholic and fatty liver disease. Men also have an increased risk of gout. According to one estimate, in 2010, sugar-sweetened beverages caused 25,000 excess deaths in the U.S.
The Health Professionals’ Follow-Up Study of nearly 43,000 men found that participants in the top quartile of sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake (about 6.5
drinks per week) had a 20% higher relative risk of coronary heart disease than those in the bottom quartile. Moreover, those who consumed the greatest amount of sugar-sweetened drinks also had higher triglyceride and C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation) levels and lower HDL-C levels. No increase in the risk of heart
disease was found among men who drank artificially sweetened beverages (ASB).
This blog presents opinions and ideas and is intended to provide helpful general information. I am not engaged in rendering advice or services to the individual reader. The ideas, procedures and suggestions in that are presented are not in any way a substitute for the advice and care of the reader’s own physician or other medical professional based on the reader’s own individual conditions, symptoms or concerns. If the reader needs personal medical, health, dietary, exercise or other assistance or advice the reader should consult a physician and/or other qualified health professionals. The author specifically disclaims all responsibility for any injury, damage or loss that the reader may incur as a direct or indirect consequence of following any directions or suggestions given in the book or participating in any programs described in this blog or in the book, The Building Blocks of Health––How to Optimize Your Health with a Lifestyle Checklist (available in print or downloaded at Amazon). Copyright 2020 by J. Joseph Speidel.
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