Drinking as little as one artificially sweetened soft drink a day is linked with a 38% higher chance of developing type 2 diabetes, latest research has shown.
A new study led by Monash University has found that artificially sweetened soft drinks are more harmful than sugar-sweetened beverages for triggering the development of type 2 diabetes.
During the trial, more than 36,000 individuals living in Australia were followed for nearly 14 years.
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Lead author Robel Hussen Kabthymer said: “Drinking one or more of these beverages each day – whether sweetened with sugar or artificial substitutes – was linked to a significantly higher chance of developing type 2 diabetes.”
Fellow author Professor Barbora de Courten said: “The findings challenge the common assumption that artificially sweetened beverages are a safer choice.
“Artificial sweeteners are often recommended to people at risk of type 2 diabetes as a healthier alternative, but our results suggest they may pose their own health risks.”
Professor de Courten added: “The findings have important implications for public health policy. We support measures like sugary drink taxes, but our study shows we also need to pay attention to artificially-sweetened options.
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“These are often marketed as better for you; yet may carry their own risks. Future policies should take a broader approach to reducing intake of all non-nutritive beverages.”
Read the study in full in the journal Diabetes & Metabolism.
