During the past 20 years, American women increased their consumption of soft drinks by 61%, and during the same time, children and adolescents more than double theirs. Along with this, the incidence of diabetes in adults increased by 80%, and even more in children. This is understandable, since long-continued, almost daily consumption of sugar in excess causes obesity and stresses and exhausts the pancreas, the gland that produces insulin. Insufficient insulin production by the pancreas is the most common cause of diabetes. In the USA, soft drinks are now a major dietary source of sugar.

Researchers have discovered that about 71 million Americans (about a quarter of the population) are obese. A large number of these obese people will develop type-2 diabetes, with its associated high risks of atherosclerosis and premature death from heart attack and stoke. If you wish to reduce your risks of becoming obese and diabetic, take it easy with soft drinks.

Sources: Journal of the American Medical Association (292:927, ’04) and British Medical Journal (329:530, ’04)