Sweetened beverages and soft drinks increase type II diabetes risk by 69%

This study was published in the Journal of Nutrition 2007 Jun;137(6):1447-54

Study title and authors:
Consumption of sweetened beverages and intakes of fructose and glucose predict type 2 diabetes occurrence.

Montonen J, Järvinen R, Knekt P, Heliövaara M, Reunanen A.
National Public Health Institute, Helsinki FIN, Finland. jukka.montonen@ktl.fi

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17513405

This study investigated the role of intakes of different sugars and beverages in the development of type II diabetes. The study lasted for 12 years and included 4,304 men and women aged 40-60 years who were free of diabetes at the start of the study.

Different types of sugar had the following effects on the incidence of type II diabetes:
(a) Those with the highest fructose consumption had a 90% increased risk of type II diabetes compared to those with the lowest fructose consumption.
(b) Those with the highest glucose consumption had a 91% increased risk of type II diabetes compared to those with the lowest glucose consumption.
(c) Those with the highest total sugar consumption had a 56% increased risk of type II diabetes compared to those with the lowest total consumption.

Different types of food and drink had the following effects on the incidence of type II diabetes:
(d) Those who consumed the most jam and marmalade had a 39% increased risk of type II diabetes compared to those who consumed the least jam and marmalade.
(e) Those who consumed the most sweetened berry juice had a 69% increased risk of type II diabetes compared to those who consumed the least sweetened berry juice.
(f) Those who consumed the most soft drinks had a 67% increased risk of type II diabetes compared to those who consumed the least soft drinks.

The findings of the study support the view that higher intake of fructose and glucose and sweetened beverages may increase type II diabetes risk.

Increases in sugar consumption mirrors the rises in modern diseases

Published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 86, No. 4, 899-906, October 2007

Potential role of sugar (fructose) in the epidemic of hypertension, obesity and the metabolic syndrome, diabetes, kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease1,2,3
Richard J Johnson, Mark S Segal, Yuri Sautin, Takahiko Nakagawa, Daniel I Feig, Duk-Hee Kang, Michael S Gersch, Steven Benner and Laura G Sánchez-Lozada
1 From the Division of Nephrology and Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (RJJ, MSS, YS, TN, and MSG); the Division of Pediatric Nephrology, Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX (DIF); the Division of Nephrology, Ewha Woman's University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea (D-HK); the Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution, Gainesville, FL (SB); and the Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia Ignacio Chavez, Mexico City, Mexico (LGS-L)
2 Supported by NIH grants DK-52121, HL-68607, and HL-79352 (to RJJ) and by a grant from the Korea Health 21 R&D Project, Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (A050626; to D-HK).
3 Address reprint requests to RJ Johnson, CG-98, 1600 Archer Road, Gainesville, FL 32610

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ajcn.org/content/86/4/899.full#R40

In this review of sugar and it's role in epidemic of hypertension, obesity and the metabolic syndrome, diabetes, kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease Johnson found evidence of many associations including:

(a) There are striking  associations between sugar intake and the epidemic of cardiorenal disease. For example, obesity was initially seen primarily in the wealthy, who would have been the only ones able to afford sugar.
(b) The first documentation of hypertension, diabetes, and obesity occurred in the very countries (England, France, and Germany) where sugar first became available to the public.
(c) The rise in sugar intake in the United Kingdom and the United States also correlates with the rise in obesity rates observed in these countries.
(d) The later introduction of sugar to developing countries also correlates with the later rise in their rates of obesity and heart disease.
(e) A series of studies linked the ingestion of soft drinks to obesity, hypertension, and diabetes.
(f) A series of studies linked the consumption of fruit juice and fruit punch to obesity in children.
(g) Clinical studies have confirmed that sucrose (and particularly fructose) can induce weight gain, features of the metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance.
(h) One unique aspect of fructose is that it is the only sugar that raises uric acid concentrations which may induce gout and heart disease.

AMAZON UK Sugar Shock!: How Sweets and Simple Carbs Can Derail Your Life-- And How You Can Get Back on Track
AMAZON USA Sugar Shock!: How Sweets and Simple Carbs Can Derail Your Life-- and How YouCan Get Back on Track