Consuming more than one sugary drink per week could increase your risk of developing a host of serious health problems including cancer, according to researchers.
Scientists are warning people to stick to a maximum of one serving of sugary pop per week, with a major review published in the BMJ revealing that excess consumption of added sugars is linked to 45 different health conditions, including heart attack and stroke.
The experts urge sticking to the World Health Organisation's recommendation of a maximum six teaspoons of sugar per day. For reference, a soda contains up to around 10 teaspoons of sugar.
The recommendation represents around 45g of chocolate, five chocolate digestives or two 150ml glasses of fruit juice. Consuming over this amount of sugar can lead to issues from tooth decay to diabetes.
Scientists across the US and China reviewed evidence across 8,601 articles, involving 83 health outcomes in both adults and children.
The team found that beverages sweetened with sugar posed a risk to increased body weight as well as a 17 per cent higher risk of heart disease.
Heart disease leads to heart attacks and strokes, with the consumption worryingly generating a four per cent higher risk of death.
There was also found to be a four per cent higher risk of gout in those consuming sugary drinks.
The scientists also found a harmful link between dietary sugar consumption and 18 endocrine or metabolic issues such as diabetes, gout and obesity.
There was also a link identified between the drinks and cardiovascular problems such as high. bloody pressure, health attack and stroke as well as seven types of cancer.
Additionally, excess consumption of sugar was also found to be associated with health problems such as asthma and depression a well as tooth decay, according to findings published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).
Natural sugars were also found to increase health risks with fructose, found in many fruit juices, linked to a 22 per cent greater risk of pancreatic cancer for every 25g a day consumed.
The study author noted that the evidence within was observational, stating that further research was required to further investigate the relationship between 'free' sugars and health concerns.
However, the experts recommended limiting the consumption of the beverages mentioned to less than one 200-355ml service per week - around one car - as well as limited sugar intake to 25g per day as per WHO recommendations.
"To change sugar consumption patterns, especially for children and adolescents, a combination of widespread public health education and policies worldwide is urgently needed", they said.
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