CONSUMING lots of sugary drinks and fruit juices could increase the risk of diabetes by almost a third, researchers suggested yesterday.
The study of almost 45,000 women found regular consumption of soft drinks substantially increased the risk of type 2 diabetes. It is thought that the weight gain linked to drinking high-calorie drinks was a major factor in the higher risk.
But th
e soft drinks industry pointed to the health benefits of fruit juices, which contribute towards people's five-a-day fruit and vegetable target.
In the UK last year, average consumption of carbonated drinks was 97 litres per person. Some 64 per cent of the market is for regular drinks, as opposed to low-calorie drinks. Average fruit-juice consumption was 23 litres.
The new study, published in Archives of Internal Medicine, looked at the soft-drink intake of the group of African American women over ten years. During this time, 2,713 women developed type 2 diabetes – which often needs drugs and diet changes to control.
The researchers from Boston University found that drinking two or more soft drinks a day, such as sugary fizzy drinks and some types of fruit juice, increased the risk of type 2 diabetes by 24 per cent, compared with drinking less than one soft drink a month.
Women who drank two or more fruit drinks a day had a 31 per cent increased risk, compared with women who drank less than one a month.
Diet soft drinks, grapefruit and orange juice were not linked to type 2 diabetes.
"Reducing consumption of soft drinks, or switching from sugar-sweetened soft drinks to diet soft drinks, is a concrete step that women may find easier to achieve than other approaches to weight loss," the team said. The researchers also pointed out that fruit drinks contained as many calories as, or even more than, soft drinks.
The British Soft Drinks Association said the study was at odds with other research looking at risk factors for diabetes.
"A glass of fruit juice counts towards the recommended target of five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, so, far from deterring people to drink fruit juice, we should be encouraging them to drink it as part of a balanced diet and healthy active lifestyle," a spokeswoman said.
Jemma Edwards, a care adviser for Diabetes UK, said: "It is very unlikely that drinking more sugar-sweetened beverages alone increases the risk of developing diabetes.
"However, consuming sugary drinks could lead to weight gain, and we know that being over-weight and a lack of physical activity are risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes."
