In a new meta-analysis published in the November 2010 issue of Diabetes Care, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health report that consumption of just one or two sugar-sweetened beverages per day is associated with a 26% greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes and a 20% increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome.   Senior author Dr. Frank Hu put this into perspective,  "So for those who drink two to three sodas per day, their risk of developing type 2 diabetes would be increased by 30-40% which is not very different from the increased risk associated with cigarette smoking."

It is not clear from the study if the main reason for the increased risk is due to the increase in calories or due to the combination of  excess calories and some unique metabolic effects of fructose and other components of soft drinks.

The authors note that the jury is still out on the long-term effects of artificial sweeteners in soft drinks, so they caution against substituting diet sodas or drinks for sugar sweetened ones.    Water, nonsweetened tea or coffee may be better choices.

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It's beginning to be clear that evolution is not keeping pace with our dietary habits. In a few hundred years we've gone from living on fresh, raw, "organic" foods, to processed, refined, altered, and chemically controlled foods that the body doesn't seem to be able to handle. Refined sugars seem to be overwhelming current physiologies with Diabetes being the most common result! Thankfully there are fine institutions working on treatments, medications, and cures everyday. Thanks for this post!

really interesting post, i loved every single word of it :) makes me think even more about these things. please keep up the good work!

I think the evidence of soft drink consumption leading to increased risk of diabetes is almost irrefutable. What I like about this report is that it cautions against artifificial sweetners. Artificial sweetners tend to bring their own problems. The best is to stick with water . If one prefers something differrent to water try fruit juices but only the 100% juice variety. But water is your best bet. Food plays a very importnat role in our health. Stick to natural foods as far as possible. However we also need to recognize the influence of genetics.

I totally disagree with the above comment regarding diet sodas .. They are just as bad. The sugar replacements in many of them have often proven more detrimental.

People should realize that periodontal disease affects a persons glucose metabolism. Diabetics have worse gum disease and people with gum disease have worse diabetes. In addition, people with prediabetes and gum disease are more likely to become diabetic. In short, watch sugar intake and make sure you have healthy gums to avoid diabetes.

Ten years ago I was a 3-4 cans of soda drinker a day. Just by decreasing the amount to one can a day I noticed a major decrease in my weight over a 4 week period of time and now I drink herbal teas. Best part of cutting out sodas from my diet was how much better I felt.

I need to forward this on to my loved ones. I can't tell you how many people I know who drink two to three sodas per day. If you're going to drink pop, make it diet pop, people!

I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. After losing 140 pounds, I am cured of the disease. Weight control is a critical factor in healing type 2 diabetes.

Approximately 95% of people in the United States who suffer from diabetes also suffer from periodontal disease. The statistics are similar for diabetics in other countries throughout the world. Effective gum disease prevention is essential for those with diabetes. Not only does gum disease cause a great deal of discomfort, it can potentially worsen your diabetes. As such, gum disease and diabetes fall into a never-ending vicious cycle that can be difficult to stop - and expensive to cure.

Previous studies have shown that soda, pizza, and hamburger prices have remained stable or decreased over the past several decades while all other food prices have increased. A new study in the HealthAffairs journal has come out recently showing that a soda tax could prevent 240,000 cases of diabetes per year. What would be the effect on American health if taxes were applied to other "unhealthy" foods and would consumers change their habits as a result of increased price