Drinking two fewer glasses of soft drinks could reduce the risk of dying of a stroke by eight per cent and coronary heart disease by five per cent, an American study revealed. Drinks laced with sugars has long been linked to a greater risk of obesity and diabetes but the effect of the sweet beverages on blood pressure had been uncertain. “Our findings suggest that reducing sugar-sweetened beverages and sugar consumption may be an important dietary strategy to lower blood pressure and further reduce other blood pressure-related diseases,
“It has been estimated that a 3-millimetres of mercury (mm Hg) reduction in systolic blood pressure should reduce stroke mortality by 8 percent and coronary heart disease mortality by 5 percent.
“Such reductions in systolic blood pressure would be anticipated by reducing sugar-sweetened beverages consumption by an average of 2 servings per day.”
Researchers sampled 810 adults aged between 25 and 79 with a prehypertension of between 120/80 and 139/89 mm Hg and stage I hypertension of between 140/90 and 159/99 mm Hg.
Over 18 months the study look at weight loss, exercise, and a healthy diet as a means to prevent and control high blood pressure.
At the start each drank on average 10.5 fluid ounces of sugary drinks – equivalent to one glass.
Art the end they drank the equivalent of half a glass and both systolic blood pressure – the pressure when the heart beats – and diastolic blood pressure – the pressure between beats – had declined significantly.
After controlling for known risk factors of blood pressure, the analysis found that a reduction of one serving per day of the sugary drink saw a 1.8 millimetres of mercury (mm Hg) drop in systolic pressure and a 1.1 mm Hg decline in diastolic pressure over 18 months.
Weight loss was a factor but the change in blood pressure was statistically significant.
Dr Chen added: “Although this study was conducted among mostly overweight adults and many with hypertension, webelieve that others will benefit by reducing the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages.
“However, such evidence from humans is lacking, and we plan to conduct such research among non-hypertensive individuals.”
The findings were published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. Telegraph
hershel is the man
These “studies” are not telling you all that goes into account. Are they adjusting for the fact that people who drink more “fizzy” drinks tend to eat worse diets of high fat which is a direct link to stroke incidences.
Just a thought
The headline is very misleading because it’s not the fizz that’s the problem, it’s the sugar. Drink all the seltzer you want, but stay away from the kool-ade.