Lowering the consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks may improve blood pressure, according to findings published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Assocation. In addition to blood pressure, research has found that a high intake of sugary drinks can also lead to obesity, metabolic syndromes and type 2 diabetes.
A total of 810 people aged 25 to 79 years old who were considered overweight and diagnosed with hypertension were enrolled in an 18-month behavioral intervention study. During the trial, a team of researchers had individuals exercise daily and eat a healthy diet, which eliminated sugar-sweetened beverage consumption.
The team discovered that by controlling the participantsÂ’ physical activity level and dietary regimens, they were able to lower the blood pressures of each individual.
These findings “suggest that reducing sugar-sweetened beverages and sugar consumption may be an important dietary strategy to lower blood pressure and further reduce other blood pressure-related diseases,” said Liwei Chen, an assistant professor at Louisiana State University. She added that “although this study was conducted among most overweight adults and many with hypertension, we believe that others will benefit by reducing the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages.
In 2006, approximately 74.5 million people aged 20 years and older in the U.S. were diagnosed with high blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association.