Soft drink consumption will pile on the pounds

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

New research reveals a clear connection between consuming soda, soft drinks and obesity.
Recent research has shown a link between drinking soda and soft drinks, which contain sugar, and increased calorie intake and weight gain. Now a new review confirms the link between obesity and sugary drink consumption. Researchers at Yale University looked at 21 studies, of which 19 showed that as soda consumption went up, so too did calorie intake. People do not seem to compensate for the calorie content of their soft drinks by decreasing calorie intake elsewhere.

Their analysis also showed a link between soda and soft drink consumption and obesity. Moreover, in a study of over 91,000 women, followed for eight years, those consuming one or more soft drinks a day were twice as likely as those who consumed less than one a month to develop diabetes. So, if you do like soft drinks, be sure to check the label for calorie content and perhaps cut down elsewhere to be sure you are not raising your total calorie intake. This analysis also showed that the more soft drinks someone consumed, the lower their intake of milk and fruit - foods that provide calcium and fiber. Therefore, soda and soft drink consumption might be a sign of an unhealthy diet - water, milk, low cal soft drinks and fruit juice are better options.

Source
American Journal of Public Health April 2007

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