Sugary Beverages

Excessive Consumption Of Sugary Beverages May Shorten Life, Research Suggests

CNN (5/17, Scutti) reported that “a study links drinking too many sugary beverages – and even 100% natural fruit juices – to an increased risk of early death.” CNN said the study, which was published in JAMA Network Open, found that “people who consumed 10% or more of their daily calories as sugary beverages had a 44% greater risk of dying due to coronary heart disease and a 14% greater risk of an early death from any cause compared with people who consumed less than 5% of their daily calories as sugary beverages.” While the study had several limitations, including that sugary drink consumption was based on self-reporting, co-author Dr. Jean A. Welsh, an assistant professor at Emory University in Atlanta, said, “Sugary beverages, whether soft drinks or fruit juices, should be limited.”

Information about the ADA’s nutrition-related activities is available at ADA.org/nutrition. Dentists can refer patients to MouthHealthy.org, ADA’s consumer website, for up-to-date and evidenced-based information about nutrition.