Childhood Consumption of Fruit Juices and Sugary Drinks May Increase Risk of High Blood Pressure in Adulthood: Study
Islamabad: Regular consumption of sugary beverages, including fruit juices, during childhood may significantly increase the risk of developing high blood pressure in adulthood, according to a new medical study.
The research, published in the journal Circulation, followed more than 25,000 participants for 25 years and found a strong link between childhood intake of sweetened drinks and the later development of hypertension.
High blood pressure, often referred to as a “silent killer,” affects more than one billion people worldwide and is associated with an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular diseases. It is responsible for an estimated 9.4 million deaths annually.
Researchers tracked participants from the age of 12 and monitored their health into adulthood, with the average follow-up extending until age 36. The study involved children of nurses across the United States who were enrolled between 1996 and 2004.
Participants completed detailed questionnaires every four years covering diet, exercise, sleep habits, screen time, smoking status, body weight, and overall health. By the end of the study in 2021, 6.3 percent of participants had been diagnosed with high blood pressure.
After accounting for various lifestyle and health factors, researchers found that children who consumed two or more servings of fruit juice or sugary drinks daily had a 52 percent higher risk of developing hypertension as adults.
The study reported that:
Soft drink consumption increased the risk by 23 percent.
Sports drinks raised the risk by 36 percent.
Fruit juices increased the risk by 35 percent.
In contrast, replacing sugary beverages with whole fruits was associated with a 22 percent reduction in the risk of developing high blood pressure later in life.
Researchers concluded that encouraging children to eat whole fruits instead of consuming sugary drinks and fruit juices could play an important role in protecting long-term cardiovascular health.
