Harvard Links Without Reservations Soda and Sugar-Sweetened Drinks to Metabolic Syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes

A new study at Harvard says that regular consumption of soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages is “associated with a clear and consistently greater risk of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.”

Harvard School of Public Health researchers say the study provides empirical evidence that intake of sugary beverages should be limited to reduce the risk of these health problems. The results and Harvard warnings are particularly relevant with new estimates that a minimum of 20 percent and as much as one in three adults will suffer from diabetes in the coming years.

Consumption of sugary drinks, the majority of which are sodas, has increased substantially in the U.S. and across the globe and previous scientific studies have shown consistent associations with weight gain and risk of obesity. via Science Daily