Sugar-sweetened drinks raise risk of diabetes, metabolic syndrome

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Regularly drinking sugar-sweetened beverages such as soda and juice contributes to the development of diabetes, high blood pressure and other endemic health problems, according to a review of epidemiological studies published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

Regularly drinking sugar-sweetened beverages such as soda and juice contributes to the development of diabetes, high blood pressure and other endemic health problems, according to a review of epidemiological studies published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

The analysis also found a link between sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and the metabolic syndrome—a cluster of risk factors that raise the chances of developing heart disease, stroke and diabetes, according to the Hormone Health Network. The risk factors include abdominal obesity, high levels of fats in the blood known as triglycerides, elevated blood pressure, high-fasting blood sugar and reduced high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or good, cholesterol levels.

The World Health Organization estimates that cardiometabolic conditions such as the metabolic syndrome and diabetes result in 19 million deaths a year.

Read more at The Endocrine Society