The nutrient content in the packaging is indeed real. However, it is not true that fruit juice is a better substitute than soda due to its naturally high sugar content. Sugary content increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.
If you think that drinking fruit juice is a lot better than sodas or any other sugary beverages, think twice. Based on the recent study at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, sweet drinks in any form, whether added sugar or pure fruit juice, moderately increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.
The study documented 11,906 incident cases of type 2 diabetes. After adjusting their diet and lifestyle based on their BMI, researchers found out that the increased consumption of more than 0.5 serving a day for four years increased the risk for type 2 diabetes by 16%.
The research also noted that increased consumption of artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) in the same period was associated with 18% high diabetes risk. This discovery led the researchers to conclude that the self-proclaimed health products are not helping to control diabetes. For that, the researchers recommended drinking low-calorie, non-sweet beverages instead, since they found out that replacing a serving of sugary drink to water, or unsweetened tea or coffee, lowers the risk by 2–10%.
"The study provides further evidence demonstrating the health benefits associated with decreasing sugary beverage consumption and replacing these drinks with healthier alternatives like water, coffee, or tea," added Jean-Philippe Drouin-Chartier, lead author and postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Nutrition.
The study was published online on Oct. 3 in Diabetes Cares.
Based on the report of the World Health Organization (WHO), diabetes alone had caused an estimated death of 442 million adults in 2014. This was a huge leap from 108 million in 1980.
Diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body becomes resistant to it. It is usually associated with obesity and old age, but the number of incidents among children is also increasing.
Overall, WHO's report shows the impact of diabetes on the economy—the medication causes to an individual and their families, and the loss of workforce and wages hurt the economy. The study also implied that the ratio of death by diabetic complications is also high in low- and middle-income countries than on higher ones.
With that, diabetes is now one of the four top priorities non-communicable diseases (NCDs) targeted by world leaders as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Along with decreasing the early deaths caused by NCDs (diabetes included) by a third by 2030, the project also aimed to achieve universal health coverage that provides access to affordable medicines.
Dr. Margaret Chan, the former doctor–general of WHO, encouraged everyone's participation in controlling the number of premature deaths caused by diabetes.
"Addressing diabetes does not just happen: it is the result of collective consensus and public investment in interventions that are affordable, cost-effective and based on the best available science," said Dr. Chan.
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