Many people know that sugary drinks can lead to weight gain and diabetes, but a new study suggests they may also increase the risk of high blood pressure later in life.
The research shows that drinking soda, sports drinks, and even large amounts of fruit juice from childhood into adulthood could have lasting effects on heart health.
The study was published in Circulation, the flagship journal of the American Heart Association. It was led by researchers at the University of Toronto with collaborators from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
High blood pressure, also called hypertension, often develops without obvious symptoms. Over time it can damage blood vessels and greatly increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, and heart failure. Although genetics play a role, healthy lifestyle choices can lower the risk.
Researchers followed more than 25,000 young people in the United States for as long as 25 years. Participants regularly answered detailed questions about their diets, physical activity, smoking habits, and other health factors as they grew from childhood into adulthood.
The scientists paid special attention to sugar-sweetened drinks, including soft drinks, fruit punches, sports drinks, sweetened tea, and lemonade. They also measured how much fruit juice and whole fruit people consumed to see whether different sources of sugar affected blood pressure risk differently.
The results showed that people who drank two or more servings of sugary drinks every day had a 52% higher chance of developing high blood pressure than those who drank them less than three times a week. Each daily serving of soda was linked to a 23% higher risk, while sports drinks were linked to an even greater increase.
The study also found that drinking large amounts of fruit juice was not completely harmless. People who drank at least one and a half servings each day had a 35% higher risk of developing high blood pressure compared with people who rarely drank fruit juice.
In contrast, whole fruit appeared to protect heart health. Statistical models suggested that replacing one daily sugary drink with a serving of whole fruit could reduce the risk of high blood pressure by about 22%. Swapping fruit juice for whole fruit was also linked with lower risk.
The researchers believe the natural fiber in whole fruit slows the absorption of sugar and provides nutrients that are lost during juicing. This may explain why eating fruit seems healthier than drinking fruit juice, even when the juice contains no added sugar.
This large long-term study suggests that regularly drinking sugary beverages from childhood may increase the risk of high blood pressure in adulthood, while replacing these drinks with whole fruit may be a healthier choice.
However, because the study was observational and relied on self-reported information, it cannot prove cause and effect. Future studies in more diverse populations are needed to confirm the findings. The results support current advice to limit sugary drinks and enjoy whole fruit instead.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and natural coconut sugar could help reduce blood pressure and artery stiffness.
For more health information, please see recent studies about added sugar in your diet linked to higher blood pressure, and results showing vitamin D could improve blood pressure in people with diabetes.
Source: American Heart Association.
