Soda consumption linked to increased heart failure risk, study confirms

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Regular to excessive consumption of sweet drinks such as soda is often the culprit of developing diabetes, which according to the American Diabetes Association affects 9.3 percent of the population or about 29.1 million Americans.

A recent study from researchers at the Stockholm Karolinska Institute has found that the increased consumption of sweetened beverages was linked to a heightened risk for heart failure among middle-aged and older men, MedPage Today reports. The study analyzed 42,000 Swedish men aged 45 to 79 over the span of 12 years (1998 to 2010). Researchers defined sweetened beverages as soft drinks and sweetened fruit juice, including those with artificial no-calorie sweeteners.

Results showed that those who consumed at least two sweetened beverages daily had a 23-percent higher risk for heart failure. Researchers found 4,113 incidents of heart failure, with 3,604 first hospitalizations and 509 deaths.

CNN reports that previous research has shown the relationship between the consumption of sweetened beverages and heart disease and stroke, but this study may be the first to identify heart failure, for which men and older people are most at risk for, as one of the effects of excessive sweet beverage consumption.

The consumption of sodas and other sweetened beverages were previously linked to obesity, diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and stroke, the study authors wrote. However, they wrote, "High consumption of sweetened beverages may also increase the risk for heart failure. To the best of our knowledge, no prospective study has investigated the relationship between consumption of sweetened beverages and the risk of heart failure."

Lead author Susanna Larsson and her colleagues wrote, "Our study findings suggest that sweetened beverage consumption could contribute to heart failure development. These findings could have implications for heart failure prevention strategies. Further prospective studies examining this relationship are therefore necessitated. Moreover, possible biological mechanisms linking sweetened beverage consumption with heart failure risk need to be studied carefully."

CBS News reports that the American Beverage Association responded to the study, claiming that a new industry initiative aims to reduce beverage calories in the American diet by 20 percent by 2025.

ABA said in a statement, "This initiative will have a significant real-world impact by helping people reduce their consumption of calories and sugar from beverages. To reduce the incidence of heart disease, health professionals, industry and others must work together to educate Americans about all the risk factors and encourage people to maintain a healthy weight by balancing their calories and physical activity."

Miguel Martinez-González, MD, and Miguel Ruiz-Canela, MD, both of the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain said in an editorial, "Sweetened beverages are usually components of a poor quality dietary pattern and that overall dietary patterns better represent the broader picture of food habits and are more important determinants of disease than any isolated food or beverage."