Scientists talked about the effect of drinks on blood pressure in adulthood

Regular consumption of sugary drinks and large amounts of fruit juice since childhood may be associated with an increased risk of hypertension in adulthood. Replacing such drinks with whole fruits, water or milk, on the contrary, was accompanied by a reduction in risk. This is stated in a study published on June 22 in the journal Circulation.

The analysis included data from 25,749 Americans who were between nine and 16 years old at the time of the start of the study. Participants were followed up to the age of 25, and their median age reached 36 years by the end of the study. Every few years, the volunteers reported how often they consumed carbonated drinks, fruit drinks, sodas, sweet tea, sports drinks, fruit juices, and whole fruits. Data on diagnosed hypertension was also collected using questionnaires.

Participants who drank at least two servings of sweetened beverages per day had a 52% higher risk of hypertension than those who consumed less than three servings per week. One daily serving of soda was associated with a 23% increased risk, while a sports drink was associated with a 36% increased risk.

Drinking at least one and a half servings of fruit juice per day was associated with a 35% increased risk compared with people who drank less than one serving per week. One serving of a sweet drink corresponded to about 355 ml, and juice — about 237 ml.

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A separate association was found for orange juice: one daily serving was associated with a 20% increased risk. However, the authors admitted that some participants may have mistakenly attributed orange drinks with added sugar to it.

Statistical modeling showed that replacing one daily serving of a sugary drink with a whole fruit was associated with a 22% reduction in the risk of hypertension. When replacing the juice with fruit, the indicator decreased by 19%. Replacing sugary drinks with milk or water was accompanied by a risk reduction of no more than 13%.

However, the researchers did not find a similar benefit when replacing fruit juice with water or milk. In their opinion, juice in small amounts may not pose a problem, but whole fruits remain preferable due to fiber and a different product structure.

The journal Science Daily reported on May 13 that moderate consumption of caffeinated beverages can significantly reduce the risk of developing dementia in old age. The study showed that a protective effect is observed when drinking two to three cups of coffee a day. Scientists came to these conclusions after analyzing the data of more than 131 thousand employees of the US healthcare sector, who were monitored for 43 years.