Limit Sugar-sweetened Drinks

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) such as sodas and sports drinks may increase risk of premature death from heart disease. In a recent analysis of 30 years of data from 117,000 men and women, the risk of death rose modestly with each additional daily SSB. The study factored in other variables such as diet, physical activity, body weight and family history. Other studies have also found associations between SSBs and diabetes, weight gain and heart disease. Artificially sweetened drinks showed no link to mortality rates except for women who drank 4 or more a day. Experts say try replacing some sweetened drinks with water.