New Research Suggests Strong Link Between Sweetened Caloric Beverages and Metaboli...( Researchers From Across the Country S...),Health

Researchers From Across the Country Stress the Importance of Managing Calories Not Only from Food, But Also from Beverages

BOSTON, June 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, leading health and research experts are convening to review research findings that highlight the growing problem of increased consumption of sweetened caloric beverages and its link to negative health impacts. During the workshop "Calories from Beverages: An Underestimated Dietary Target for the Prevention/Management of Obesity/Type 2 Diabetes" held at the XV International Symposium on Atherosclerosis, experts will share new research updates and discuss the serious implications of this upward trend on public health.

Barry Popkin, PhD, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, will highlight the significant increase in the consumption of caloric sweeteners across the globe over the past 20 years, with the main source being sweetened caloric beverages, including: soft drinks, fruit drinks, energy drinks, vitamin and other functional beverage waters.(1) "We're facing a serious global public health threat that is caused in part by an upward trend in the consumption of sweetened caloric beverages combined with an accelerated shift toward inactivity, poor diet and obesity," said Dr. Popkin. "In order for Americans to better manage their health, they need to consider their daily intake of beverage calories." During this same time, research showed little change in water consumption and essentially no reduction in food intake to compensate for the additional beverage calories.(2)

"During 1999 and 2000, regular soft drinks represented a surprising 7% of calories in the U.S. diet. That number has since increased to an estimated 9% to 10%," said Frank B. Hu, MD, Harvard Medical School. "Putting our research together, we are able to understand the seriousness of this consumption trend," he added. Dr. Hu's research reveals a strong rel
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