A 25-year prospective cohort study published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation has found an association between higher consumption of sugary drinks and fruit juice during childhood and an increased risk of developing hypertension in adulthood.
The study analyzed data from 25,749 participants in the Growing Up Today Study (GUTS). Participants were enrolled at ages 9 to 16 and were followed for up to 25 years, until an average age of 36. During the follow-up period (1996–2021), approximately 6% of participants reported a diagnosis of hypertension.
Key Findings
- Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Fruit Juice: The highest intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (defined as two or more servings per day) and fruit juice (defined as 1.5 or more servings per day) was associated with a higher risk of hypertension compared to lower consumption levels.
- Specific Beverage Risks: Children who consumed two or more servings of sugary drinks per day had a 52% higher risk of developing hypertension compared to those who consumed fewer than three servings per week. Each additional daily serving of soft drinks was associated with a 23% higher risk, and each additional serving of sports drinks was associated with a 36% higher risk.
- Fruit Juice: Consuming at least 1.5 glasses of fruit juice daily was associated with a 35% higher likelihood of hypertension than consuming less than one serving per week.
- Total Fructose: Total fructose intake was not associated with hypertension risk, suggesting the source of fructose may be more relevant than the total amount.
- Whole Fruit: Consuming whole fruit showed no association with hypertension risk.
"Children who consumed two or more servings of sugary drinks per day had a 52% higher risk of developing hypertension compared to those who consumed fewer than three servings per week."
Substitution Analysis
The study also analyzed the effects of substituting sugary drinks with other beverages or foods:
- Replacing one daily sugary drink with whole fruit was associated with a 22% lower risk of hypertension.
- Replacing fruit juice with fresh fruit was linked to a 19% reduction in risk.
- Substituting sugary beverages with water or milk was associated with risk reductions of up to 13%.
- Replacing fruit juice with water or milk did not show a significant difference in risk.
Limitations
The researchers noted several limitations of the study:
- The study is observational and does not prove causation.
- Dietary habits, Body Mass Index (BMI), and hypertension diagnoses were self-reported by participants.
- The study population was predominantly non-Hispanic White, limiting the generalizability of the findings to other populations.
Conclusion
The findings support existing dietary recommendations to limit consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and fruit juice and to encourage whole fruit consumption for long-term cardiovascular health. The American Heart Association supports measures to reduce sugary drink consumption, including taxation, improved school meal standards, and public awareness campaigns.