LOS ANGELES, March 19 — New US research has found that a high intake of sodas and sugary drinks is linked to a greater risk of early death, particularly among women.

Led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health along with researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China, the new large-scale study looked at data taken from 80,647 women participating in the Nurses’ Health Study between 1980 and 2014 and from 37,716 men taking part in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study between 1986 and 2014.

In both studies the participants were asked to complete questionnaires about their lifestyle factors and health status every two years.

The findings, published in the journal Circulation, showed that after taking into account other major diet and lifestyle factors, the more sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) people consumed, the greater their risk of premature death from any cause.

More specifically, compared with those who drank SSBs less than once per month, participants who drank one to four SSBs per month had a one per cent increased risk of early death, drinking two to six per week was associated with a six per cent increase, drinking one to two per day with a 14 per cent increase, and two or more per day with a 21 per cent increase.

The association between risk of early death and drinking SSBs was also stronger among women.

There was also a strong link between drinking SSBs and an increased risk of early death from cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Those who drank two or more servings per day of SSBs showed a 31 per cent higher risk of early death from CVD, compared with infrequent SSB drinkers, and each additional daily serving of SSBs was linked with a 10 per cent higher risk of CVD-related death.

The link between SSB consumption and early death risk from cancer however was not as strong.

After also investigating a possible link between drinking artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) and risk of early death, the researchers found that replacing one SSB per day with one ASB was linked with a moderately lower risk of early death.

However, a high intake of ASBs, defined as at least four servings per day, appeared to slightly increase the risk of death from all causes and from cardiovascular disease.

The findings are also in line with previous studies, which have linked SSB intake to weight gain, a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

"Our results provide further support to limit intake of SSBs and to replace them with other beverages, preferably water, to improve overall health and longevity,” said Vasanti Malik, lead author of the study. — AFP-Relaxnews