Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health found that drinking just one sugar-sweetened beverage a day was associated with a 20 percent bump in a man's risk of having a heart attack over a 22-year period. What's more, that risk increased along with the amount of sugary drinks consumed -- even after researchers controlled for other factors like family history, tobacco use and BMI.
In one study, for example, volunteers who decreased sugary soda consumption experienced a reduction in blood pressure levels.
The researchers used data from the longitudinal Health Professionals Follow-up study -- a long-term research project that tracked the health behaviors of 42,883 men over 22 years. Of the entire cohort, a total 3,683 had either fatal or non-fatal heart attacks.
Previous analysis of long-term research, such as data from the Nurses' Health Study, show that sugary soda consumption has been individually linked to overall heart disease rates for women as well.
But before you consider switching to diet soda, research has shown that it, too, has a negative effect on heart attack and stroke: a separate study of 2,600 adults found that those who drank diet soda regularly were 40 percent more likely to have a heart attack or stroke.
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