Soda consumption has been on a slow decline over recent years as more and more people become aware of the many negative health effects that soda consumption has on the human body.
It can be clear that soda damages our teeth and adds empty calories to our diet that lead to weight gain, but are you aware that soda consumption has been linked to increased risk for serious conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and asthma.
A 2010 study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found a significant increase in the risk of type 2 diabetes in those who consumed greater than 2 soft drinks per week, and the association was greater in those who also gained weight.
Type 2 diabetes and obesity are important risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD). A 2009 study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, like soda, was associated with a higher risk of CHD in women.
A 2019 study published in the journal Nutrients found that soft drink consumption was positively associated with asthma, with those consuming soft drinks more than 7 times per week found more likely to have asthma than those who did not consume soft drinks.
These are just a few of the negative health effects of soda (soft drink) consumption.
Three further studies were reviewed and published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2012 which stated that there is a growing body of evidence on the adverse health effects of soft drink consumption. The first study showed an increase of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and multiple myeloma in men when they consumed more than 1 diet soda each day. The second study showed an increased risk of prostate cancer, and the third study showed an increased risk of stroke among women who drank soft drinks.
You can read The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2012 study here.