Sweetened drinks pose a greater diabetes risk

Sweetened drinks pose a greater risk of type 2 diabetes than most other foods containing fructose, a naturally occurring sugar, finds an evidence review published yesterday.

The findings in The British Medical Journal suggest that fruit and other foods containing fructose seem to have no harmful effect on blood glucose levels,whilesweeteneddrinks and some other foods that add excess “nutrient poor” energy to diets may have harmful effects.

“These findings might help guide recommendations on important food sources of fructose in the prevention and management of diabetes,” said Dr. John Sievenpiper, the study’s lead author and a researcher in the Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Centre of St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. The role of sugars in the development of diabetes and heart disease attracts widespread debate and increasing evidence suggests fructose could be particularly harmful.