Soda, sports drinks tied to higher risk of early death

Mar 25, 2019 06:00 am

People who consume lots of sugary sodas and sports drinks every day may be more likely to die early of causes such as heart disease and cancer than people who rarely if ever, indulge in these beverages a US study suggests.

Heavy soda and sports drink consumption was associated with a 28 per cent higher risk of early death from any cause, a 31 per cent higher risk of death from heart disease and a 16 per cent increased risk of death from cancer, researchers found.

"In the US, about half of the population consumes at least one sugar-sweetened beverage per day," lead study author Vasanti Malik, a nutrition researcher at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, said.

"Replacing sugar-sweetened beverages with other beverages, particularly water, is one strategy to improve health and longevity." - REUTERS