IF you’re thinking about ordering another can of coke, you might want to think again.
People who drink more than one sugary drink a week have a greater risk of several deadly conditions – including cancer, US and Chinese researchers found.
GettyPeople who drink more than one sugary drink a week have a greater risk of several deadly conditions[/caption]
For each extra sugary drink per week, people increase their chances of suffering 45 different conditions, the authors found.
They are now urging people to stick to the World Health Organisations‘ six teaspoons a day to stave off the risks, ranging from diabetes to tooth decay.
Six teaspoons of sugar works out to be about 25g of sugar, which can be found in one can of coke, one bar 45g bar of dairy milk chocolate or two 150ml glasses of fruit juice.
The major review found each additional sugar-sweetened drink per day was linked to a 17 per cent higher risk of coronary heart disease, 4 per cent higher risk of gout and 4 per cent higher risk of death.
Experts also found strong links between dietary sugar consumption and metabolic issues including diabetes and obesity.
It was also firmly linked to ten heart issues such as high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke as well as seven cancers including breast, prostate and pancreatic cancer.
Excess sugar was also associated with other health issues such asthma, tooth decay and depression, according to the findings published in the BMJ.
Even fructose, a naturally occurring sugar found in fruit juices, was linked to a 22 per cent increased risk of pancreatic cancer, for every 25g a day consumed.
The NHS says that adults should have no more than 30g of free sugars a day, roughly equivalent to seven sugar cubes.
But the authors recommend the consumption of added sugars to be reduced to below 25 g per day day – approximately six teaspoons.
They also suggest limiting the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages to less than one serving a week.
“To change sugar consumption patterns, especially for children and adolescents, a combination of widespread public health education and policies worldwide is urgently needed,” they said.