Diabetes and Sugared Drinks

Sugar-sweetened beverages associated with increased risk for type 2 diabetes.
The Boston Globe (10/27, Cooney) "White Coat Notes" blog reported that, according to an analysis published online Oct. 27 in the journal Diabetes Care, there appears to be an association between consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
"Drinking one or two sugar-sweetened beverages a day increases diabetes risk by 26%," WebMD (10/27, Doheny) reported. After pooling "the findings of 11 previously published studies including more than 320,000 participants," researchers found that "habitual drinkers -- those drinking one to two sugar-sweetened beverages a day on average -- had a 26% increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes and a 20% increased risk for developing metabolic syndrome, compared to those who drank the beverages once a month or not at all."
MedPage Today (10/27, Fiore) reported that when body mass index "was included in the analysis, the association was less but not eliminated, leading the researchers to conclude that sugary drinks are a risk factor for diabetes and metabolic syndrome independent of weight gain." The study authors concluded that "the findings provide further evidence that patients should replace sugary drinks with healthier alternatives like water in order to reduce their risk of both obesity and chronic diseases."