A three-decade study by Canadian scientists of 100,000 healthy people found out how carbonated water can have adverse health effects.
All your hard work goes down the drain because of carbonated water
Participants were divided into two groups.
Half drank sugary drinks, defined as "carbonated and sweetened beverages (with or without caffeine), lemonade, and fruit cocktails" more than twice a week.
The remaining group limited, or only "rarely" treated themselves to a can.
The aim of the study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, was to find out whether physical activity could reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in people who regularly drink soft drinks and carbonated drinks.
Sadly, the results showed that exercise alone did not offset the harmful effects of sugary drinks.
Experts found that people who drank sugary drinks more than twice a week had a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, regardless of their physical activity levels.
Even people who achieved the 150 minutes of average weekly exercise recommended by Laval University did not reverse their risk of cardiovascular disease if they drank soft drinks.
According to the NHS, cardiovascular disease is a general term for conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels, which can include stroke, coronary heart disease and peripheral artery disease. Many people think that two cans of fizzy drink is a small amount, but it can still wreak havoc on your health.
Soft drinks are more addictive than alcohol.
Scientists tested the physical activity of 100,000 participants every two years. In addition, every four years, they also had their overall health assessed.
Professor Jean-Philippe Drouin-Chartier, from Laval University's faculty of pharmacy, said: "Physical activity halves the risk of cardiovascular disease associated with fizzy drinks, but does not eliminate it completely.
Marketing strategies often show images of active people consuming these drinks, indirectly suggesting that drinking soft drinks does not have negative health effects if you are physically active. Meanwhile, diet drinks are safer because of the reduced sugar content. However, the best choice is still water.
Lorena Pacheco, lead author and study scientist, stressed that the findings will contribute to public health recommendations and policies that limit people's intake of carbonated beverages, as well as encourage people to meet and maintain adequate physical activity levels.
Previously, many studies have also shown the harmful effects of carbonated drinks, including causing hair loss, infertility and affecting emotions.
In October 2023, Irish nutritionist Gaye Godkin warned that carbonated soft drinks are harder to quit than alcohol, because they contain high levels of sugar and caffeine - two addictive factors.
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