Study finds juices linked to chronic disease in men

Drinking sugary drinks and concentrated fruit juices during childhood and adolescence may increase the risk of chronic disease in young males, a new study shows.

The study, which included about 500 children in Massachusetts, USA, found that regular consumption of sugary drinks and concentrated fruit juices in childhood was linked to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes among boys compared to girls.

These findings, presented recently at the American Heart Association conference, add to evidence of a link between consumption of beverages containing added sugar and the long-term risk of developing type 2 diabetes in young people.

Studies show that excessive consumption of sugary drinks not only leads to weight gain and tooth decay, but also increases the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.

In the new study, scientists looked at babies born to pregnant women who were part of Project Viva, an ongoing study in eastern Massachusetts that began in 1999. They wanted to see if drinking sugary drinks, especially 100 percent fruit juice, was linked to any signs of type 2 diabetes.

They estimated average consumption of sugary drinks, 100% fruit juices, and fresh fruits during childhood and adolescence, and evaluated their potential associations with markers of type 2 diabetes, such as insulin resistance, fasting glucose levels, and HbA1c.

Scientists found that consuming a daily serving of sugary drinks of about 230 ml during childhood and adolescence among boys increases insulin resistance by 34%.

“It is surprising that many measures of type 2 diabetes risk were elevated in boys at such a young age,” said Penny M. Kris-Etherton, MD, a member of the American Heart Association’s Nutrition Committee.

The scientists noted that eating fresh fruit during this period of life had no effect on the risk of developing type 2 diabetes among boys or girls.

“Diet, heart health and metabolism are complex, with many factors that vary over time and interact in different ways, and this study represents a small piece of that puzzle,” explained Dr. Harnois LeBlanc.

Although the new study found a link between regular consumption of sugary drinks and fruit juices and diabetes, scientists cautioned that it cannot prove that the drinks cause the disease.