DRINKING fizzy drinks could be raising the risk of an early death in millions of Brits, a study shows.
Adults with type 2 diabetes were more likely to die of heart disease if they drank more than one can a day, Harvard University researchers found.
GettyDrinking fizzy drinks could be raising the risk of an early death in millions of Brits, Harvard University researchers found[/caption]
But they were likely to live longer if they drank more tea or coffee instead.
Researchers say swapping out health-wrecking fizzy drinks for hot beverages could extend your years.
Dr Le Ma said: “Overall, these results provide additional evidence that emphasises the importance of beverage choices in maintaining overall health among adults with diabetes.”
More than 4.3million Brits live with diabetes, according to Diabetes UK, with more than 90 per cent having type 2.
It is caused by problems with a chemical in the body called insulin, which breaks down sugars in the blood.
The condition causes blood sugar levels to become too high and can lead to heart disease and stroke over time.
Previous studies have linked drinking around two or three cups of tea or coffee a day with a lower risk of heart disease by reducing swelling.
The latest research, published in the BMJ, looked at how drinking different beverages affected how long patients lived for.
Researchers tracked how regularly more than 15,000 US adults with the condition drank tea, coffee, sugary fizzy drinks, sugar-free pop, fruit juice, milk and water.
After an average of 18-and-a-half years, some 3,447 had developed heart disease, with 7,638 dying in total.
Patients that drank more than one fizzy drink a day were a fifth more likely to die than those who drank less than one a month.
In contrast, patients who drank more coffee, tea, plain water or low-fat milk were all less likely to die early.
Drinking up to six cups a day reduced the death risk by more than a quarter for coffee-lovers and a fifth for tea-drinkers.
Those who increased how much coffee they were drinking after being diagnosed with diabetes had an 18 per cent lower risk of early death compared to those who didn’t.
Swapping out a fizzy drink for coffee reduced the risk of death by 18 per cent and 16 per cent for tea.
Dr Ma said: “Coffee contains various beneficial bioactive constituents, which may reduce oxidative stress and inflammation.
“Tea is also a good source of polyphenols, especially catechins, which bear antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.”