James H. O'Keefe, MD

Why a Coke a Day Might Make Your Doctor Dismay

One or more soft drinks per day heightens your risk of new-onset metabolic syndrome by about 45 percent, regardless if it’s regular or diet soda….Daily consumption of sweetened soda seems to go along with cardiovascular risk factors. So drop the pop, and switch to water or carbonated water.

         A huge study published in Circulation (July 2007) found that Americans who drink one or more soft drinks a day - even a sugar-free or diet brand – are at strikingly increased risk for metabolic syndrome. If you have three or more of these five specific health issues: excess abdominal fat, high blood sugar, high triglycerides, low levels of the good cholesterol HDL, and high blood pressure, you have the metabolic syndrome, which increases your risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke, or developing diabetes.

          One or more soft drinks per day heightens your risk of new-onset metabolic syndrome by about 45 percent, regardless if it’s regular or diet soda. The study included 9,000 middle-aged men and women followed for over four years.

One or more soft drinks daily was associated with:

e 31 percent greater risk of becoming obese, especially around the belly.

e 25 percent higher risk of having high levels of triglycerides or blood sugar.

e 32 per cent higher risk of having low HDL levels (good cholesterol).

          Daily consumption of sweetened soda seems to go along with cardiovascular risk factors. So drop the pop, and switch to water or carbonated water. If you need the caffeine buzz, try tea or coffee (hold the cream and sugar).

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