Sugary drinks linked to high blood pressure
A 25-year study involving 25,000 participants has linked the regular consumption of sugary drinks in childhood to an increased risk of high blood pressure in adulthood. Researchers suggest replacing these beverages with water, milk, or whole fruit to improve long-term cardiovascular health.
Why it matters
These findings provide critical public health guidance on dietary habits that can prevent chronic diseases later in life.
A new 25-year study found that children who regularly drank soft drinks, sports drinks and fruit juice were more likely to develop high blood pressure as adults.
“Dietary habits in early life can have lasting health consequences,” said study senior author and Canada’s University of Toronto associate professor Dr Vasanti Malik.
The study included more than 25,000 people who took part in a long-term American health study and were followed for up to 25 years.
Every one to four years, participants completed questionnaires about how often they drank sugary beverages such as soft drinks, fruit punch, lemonade, sweetened tea and sports drinks.
They also reported how much fruit juice, whole fruit and other foods they consumed, along with information about their weight, physical activity and smoking habits.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in