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A recent study has found that both sugary and artificially sweetened beverages are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, suggesting that those who claim to be healthier with their sugar alternatives are not as healthy as believed.
Conducted with 104,760 participants, research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology on Monday showed that diets, including beverages with artificial sweeteners, can have a negative impact on cardio-metabolic health. Divided according to their frequency and consumption levels, the participants consumed sugary drinks containing 5% or more sugar or artificially sweetened with non-nutritive sweeteners.
Participants were asked to complete three 24-hour validated dietary records every six months, and 1,379 of them reported their first cases of cardiovascular disease, the study found. Compared to nonusers, heavy users had a higher risk of stroke, acute coronary syndrome, and heart attacks.
“Our study suggests that artificially sweetened beverages may not be a healthy substitute for sugary beverages,” Eloi Chazelas, lead author of the study and a member of the Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team, said in a statement.
“These data provide additional arguments to fuel the current debate on taxation, labeling and regulation of sugary drinks and artificially sweetened drinks,” added Chazelas.
