DRINKING SODA AND OBESITY

Drinking Soda and Obesity

Drinking Soda and Obesity

Beverages are important components of diet and a route for the intake of caffeine, ethanol, and other bioactive substances. Consumption of fruit drinks and soda represents nearly 81 percent of the increase in caloric sweetener intake in the United States. The largest source of these added sugars is nondiet soft drinks, which account for 47 percent of total added sugars in the diet.

The period supple drink embraces sodas along with other sugar-sweetened beverages such as fruit beverages, lemonade, and frozen tea. The period soda embraces sugar-sweetened carbonated beverages such as colas. Consumption of these beverages was shown to increase by 135 percent between 1977 and 2001. In the United States, on average, a 12-ounce serving (12 ounces = 1 can of soda or 1 soda = 1 serving) of soda provides 150 kilocalories and 40-50 grams of sugar in the form of high-fructose corn syrup ([HFCS] approximately 45 percent glucose and 55 percent fructose), which is equivalent to 10 teaspoons of table sugar. If these calories are supplemented to the usual U.S. diet without reducing intake from other sources, one soda per day could lead to a weight gain of 15 pounds or 6.75 kilograms in one year. It has been hypothesized that fructose may lead to greater weight gain and insulin opposition by increasing plasma triacylglycerols and subsequently decreasing the output of insulin and leptin in peripheral tissues—not stifling ghrelin—thereby declining indicating to the centered tense system from insulin and leptin—and probably ghrelin.

Recent studies have shown that women who consumed one soda per week were 0.47 pounds (0.21 kilograms) heavier than those who reported no soda consumption. Men consuming one soda per week were 0.33 pounds (0.15 kilograms) heavier than those who reported no soda consumption, although this difference was not significant. The weight gain is very significant in women and children. Several studies found significant associations between the intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and greater overweight or obesity. Soda consumption of 2 servings or more per day enhances body weight gain in children. It has also been suggested that supple beverages that contain caramel coloring are wealthy in sophisticated glycation end goods, which may boost insulin opposition and inflammation.

The intake of caffeine from soda (10-16 milligrams/100 grams) may increase blood pressure in adolescents, especially those of African-American background, thereby increasing their risk of hypertension, although this adolescent population's blood pressure may also be affected by dietary and lifestyle practices for which the consumption of caffeinated beverages is a marker. In the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-94), based on a nationally representative sample of the noninstitutionalized civilian U.S. population, observed that adults with diabetes reported drinking three times as much diet soda as adults without diabetes. Adults with diabetes who had one or more drinks of diet soda per day, HbA1c level was 0.7 units significantly greater compared with those who drank none.

Beverage choice, particularly over-consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages such as sodas and juices, might ...