What happens when you drink more than one soft drink a week?
People who enjoy sugary drinks like soda, smoothies and fruit juices may face a number of health risks.
The World Health Organization (WHO) urges people to eat no more than six teaspoons of sugar a day to prevent health problems ranging from diabetes to tooth decay. That is equivalent to a 45g bar of chocolate or two 150ml glasses of fruit juice.
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Soft drinks contain a lot of sugar. Illustration: Tofubud |
Scientists in the US and China reviewed more than 8,600 health studies in adults and children. They found that sugary drink consumption was significantly linked to increased body weight.
Drinking more than one soft drink a week increased people's risk of heart disease by 17%, their risk of death overall by 4%, and their risk of gout by 4%.
The authors also found significant links between sugar consumption and 18 endocrine or metabolic conditions including diabetes, gout and obesity. High sugar intake was also linked to 10 cardiovascular conditions such as high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke as well as seven types of cancer including breast, prostate and pancreatic cancer.
According to findings published inBMJ,Excess sugar causes other health problems such as asthma, tooth decay and depression.
Even fructose, the natural sugar in fruit juice, is linked to a 22% increased risk of pancreatic cancer, if you consume 25g per day.
The authors acknowledge that most of the statistics are based on observation, and more research is needed on the relationship between sugar and health problems.
However, they still recommend limiting sugary drink consumption to less than 350ml a week (about 1 bottle) and less than 25g a day - about 6 teaspoons.
The amount of sugar a person should eat depends on their age. Children aged 4 to 6 are limited to a maximum of 19g a day. The same limit is 24g for children aged 7 to 10, and 30g for children aged 11 and older.
The UK National Health Service also recommends that adults should eat no more than 30g of sugar a day.
Popular snacks contain large amounts of sugar. A single can of soft drink can contain more sugar than a child should eat in an entire day. Children who eat too much sugar are at risk of tooth decay, obesity and being overweight, and developing type 2 diabetes, which increases the risk of heart disease and cancer.
