risk of death
Drinking four or more ASBs per day was associated with increased risk of early death in women. Credit: Harvard Chan School Communications.

A new study led by the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health has found that consuming sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) may shorten life expectancy.

Researchers analysed data from 80,647 women participating in the Nurses’ Health Study (1980‒2014) and 37,716 men from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (1986-2014). These studies aimed to identify the risk factors for major chronic diseases.

Drinking four or more ASBs on a daily basis was associated with an increased risk of death, with the risk being more pronounced for female patients than male. Replacing these sugary drinks with artificially sweetened beverages (ASB) lowered the risks.

“The results also provide further support for policies to limit marketing of sugary beverages to children and adolescents.”

The researchers also found that the more SSBs a person drank, the more their risk of early death increased.

Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health Department of Nutrition research scientist Vasanti Malik said: “Our results provide further support to limit intake of SSBs and to replace them with other beverages, preferably water, to improve overall health and longevity.”

Based on prior studies, links were found between the intake of SSBs and weight gain, as well as a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

The study found a particularly strong link between drinking sugary beverages and increased risk of early death from cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health Epidemiology and Nutrition professor Walter Willett said: “The results also provide further support for policies to limit marketing of sugary beverages to children and adolescents and for implementing soda taxes because the current price of sugary beverages does not include the high costs of treating the consequences.”