Vaccine to stop heart attacks could be here in 5 years
By Rebecca Smith, The Daily TelegraphApril 2, 2012
A vaccine delivered in an injection or nasal spray to prevent heart attacks could be available within five years.
Photograph by: Wayne Leidenfrost, Postmedia News
A vaccine delivered in an injection or nasal spray to prevent heart attacks could be available within five years.
Scientists have discovered that the drug stimulates the body's immune system to produce antibodies which prevent heart disease by stopping fat building up in the arteries.
It is the first time that the underlying cause of heart disease has been targeted. Current treatments focus on using drugs to reduce cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
The vaccine can cut the build up of fat in arteries by up to 70 per cent, according to tests by researchers at Lund University in Sweden. The fatty deposits cause arteries to narrow, meaning the body has to work harder to pump blood, and can lead to a heart attack.
Prof Peter Weissberg, the British Heart Foundation medical director, said the vaccine was "very promising".
Different ways of administering the vaccine are being developed and could be licensed within five years, the Frontiers in CardioVascular Biology conference at Imperial College London was told.
Cardiovascular disease is the biggest killer in Britain, causing one in three deaths; 191,000 each year. There are 2.7?million people with heart disease and their treatment costs pounds 3.2?billion a year.
Prof Jan Nilsson, professor of experimental cardiovascular research at Lund University, acknowledged that treatments such as statins and blood pressure drugs reduced the risk of heart disease by 40 per cent, but added: "It should not be forgotten that 60 per cent of cardiovascular events continue to occur."
He said: "These treatments are far more like drugs: to be effective they'd need to be given long term. The antibody therapy in particularly is likely to be expensive, so you could probably only afford to give it to high-risk populations rather than everyone."
The team created a vaccine that reduced plaque build-up by 60 to 70 per cent in mice. The resulting injection is waiting regulatory clearance to start clinical trials. A second vaccine has been created as a nasal spray. A trial on 144 heart disease sufferers is under way in the U.S. and Canada.
Kidneys play a key role in cleansing your body, including your arteries. If your kidneys are backed up or clogged, they aren’t able to clean out your blood as well as they should, which can lead to aging in your arteries. Follow these easy tips to help keep your kidneys working at their optimal levels.
Drink water. Dehydration can increase your risk of kidney problems by 20%. An easy way to incorporate more water into your day is to carry a BPA-free water bottle with you as much as possible--in your car, at your desk and even when you’re eating a meal.
Try yogurt or milk. Keep your blood pressure in check with 2 cups of yogurt and one glass of milk per day. The calcium in yogurt and milk can lower your risk of blood pressure surges by 25%.
Reduce salt. Diets high in salt increase the risk of kidney stone, since extra salt in your diet pushes calcium into your kidneys, rather than into your bones, where it’s supposed to be. Try eating less processed food and substituting dried herbs as a food topping rather than table salt.
Jamba Juice Original (24 ounces) Aloha Pineapple Smoothie (410 calories, 1.5 grams fat) Sip it Jamba Juice 16 oz Apple ’n Greens Smoothie (220 calories, 1 g fat) We applaud the high-fiber fruit and calcium-rich yogurt in the Aloha Pineapple. But sherbet adds mega sugar (91 g here!), and the shake falls too short on protein to make a balanced lunch. Swap it for the Apple ’n Greens to cut 190 calories and 51 g sugar. Our pick also has 2 g more fiber, thanks to extra fruit (mango, peach) and veg (spinach, kale). Pair it with 1 oz protein-packed nuts for a complete lunch.
At the coffee shop…
Skip it Starbucks Grande Iced Caramel Macchiato with whipped cream, extra vanilla syrup and caramel (440 calories, 21.5 g fat) Sip it Starbucks Tall Coffee Frappuccino with skim milk, no whipped cream (160 calories, 0 g fat) There’s room for treats in every diet, but the added syrup and caramel and whipped cream turn the Macchiato from a small splurge into a calorie and fat overload. Trade it for the Coffee Frappuccino: It has the same craveable qualities. (Creamy texture? Check! Tastes like a milk shake? Yep!) But forgoing the high-cal extras and opting for skim milk trims 280 calories and 21.5 g fat. And it’s still plenty flavorful, so the smaller cup is enough to satisfy your sweet tooth.
At the convenience store…
Skip it Snapple Lemon Tea (160 calories, 0 g fat per 16-oz bottle) Sip it Honest Tea Half & Half Organic Tea with Lemonade (100 calories, 0 g fat per 16.9-oz bottle) Four of the Snapple ingredients—water, tea, citric acid and natural flavors—are virtually free of calories and sugar. That means the drink’s 36 g (3 tablespoons) of sugar come from the only other listed ingredient: added sugar. By contrast, Honest Tea delivers the same refreshing tea-and-lemon combo for 60 fewer calories. It does have some added sugar but 12 g less than Snapple does. Honest Tea also contains all-natural ingredients, making it a good alternative to soda, which has artificial stuff.
At the gym…
Skip it Juice Generation 24 oz Mucho Mango Smoothie (370 calories, 4 g fat) Sip it Juice Generation 20 oz Pure Energy Juice (150 calories, 0 g fat) Juice Generation’s blends are made with lots of produce and nothing artificial—bravo! But the smoothies are too high in calories to count as a snack, which shouldn’t exceed 200 calories. If you want a small pre- or postworkout pick-me-up, our choice, Pure Energy Juice, gives you 5 g energizing protein for 220 fewer calories. If it’s lunchtime, opt for the 24-oz Protein Buzz Smoothie (410 calories, 6 g fat). Blended with fruit and hemp, soy or whey protein, it’s more of a meal than other less caloric choices, and has the ideal combo of carbs and protein.
At happy hour…
Skip it Oaxaca old-fashioned with tequila, mezcal, agave and bitters (159 calories, 0 g fat) Sip it Club soda and a splash of fresh lime juice with a shot (1.5 oz) of tequila (100 calories, 0 g fat) You know a cocktail a day may help protect your heart, but we’d offer this advice: Order carefully. Specialty drinks often have multiple types of liquor, and every 1.5-oz shot adds an additional 97 calories. (Plus, some bartenders are heavy-handed.) Also, beware excess agave: The plant-based sweetener can be 80 percent fructose, a sugar shown to increase belly fat in a study at the University of California in Davis. Stick to one type of booze with a zero-calorie mixer like club soda. Cheers!
Making healthy choices doesn’t have to be boring! Impress guests and save on calories (without sacrificing taste) by whipping up one of these tasty yet light cocktails.
For more inspiring healthy food and fit tips, follow SELF on Facebook and Twitter.
Sign up early for the Drop 10 Diet and you could lose 5, 10, 20 pounds or more!
Friday, March 16, 2012
Red meat: What makes it unhealthy?
March 14, 2012|By Eryn Brown, Los Angeles Times / for the Booster Shots blog
On Monday, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health released study results showing that red meat consumption was associated with a higher risk of early death. The more red meat -- beef, pork or lamb, for the purposes of the research -- study participants reported they ate, the more likely they were to die during the period of time that data collection took place (more than 20 years).
So what is it in red meat that might make it unhealthy?
No one is sure, exactly, but the authors of the Harvard study mention a few possible culprits in their paper in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
First, eating red meat has been linked to the incidence of heart disease. The saturated fat and cholesterol in beef, pork and lamb are believed to play a role in the risk of coronary heart disease. The type of iron found in red meat, known as heme iron, has also been linked to heart attacks and fatal heart disease. Sodium in processed meats may increase blood pressure, which is a risk factor for heart disease. Other chemicals that are used in processed meats may play a role in heart disease as well, by damaging blood vessels.
Red meat has also been linked to increased risks of colorectal and other cancers. Again, heme iron could be a culprit — it is more easily absorbed into the body than other forms of iron, and can cause oxidative damage to cells — as could compounds that are created when meat is cooked at a high temperature. Preservatives used in processed meats also may play a role, scientists have said, because they convert into carcinogenic compounds in the body.
IN THE WORLD OF FANTASY WISH LISTS,
WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT IF, INSTEAD OF, PROMPTING US TO SNACK ALL THE TIME, OUR
BODIES WOULD JUST USE UP FAT WE HAVE ALREADY STORED?
Bottom of
Form
ONE MAJOR REASON THIS
DOESN'T HAPPEN HAS TO DO WITH OUR DIETS. WHEN YOU CONSUME STARCH AND REFINED
SUGAR, THESE FOODS ENTER THE BLOODSTREAM QUICKLY, CAUSING A SUGAR SPIKE. YOUR
BODY THEN PRODUCES THE HORMONE INSULIN TO DRIVE THAT SUGAR FROM YOUR
BLOODSTREAM INTO CELLS. BUT OVER TIME, EXCESSIVE LEVELS OF INSULIN CAN MAKE
YOUR MUSCLE CELLS LOSE SENSITIVITY TO THE HORMONE, LEADING TO TYPE-2 DIABETES
AND HEART DISEASE.
YOUR FAT CELLS ARE ANOTHER STORY: THEY ALWAYS REMAIN SENSITIVE. INSULIN SPIKES
LOCK FAT INTO THEM, SO YOU CAN'T USE IT FOR ENERGY.
HOW DO YOU BREAK THIS
CYCLE AND GET YOUR BODY TO WORK OPTIMALLY AGAIN? HAPPILY, YOU DON'T NEED TO GO
ON AN EXTREME DIET. THE FIRST STEP IS JUST TO REDUCE THE BLOOD SUGAR SPIKES
THAT PRODUCE SHARP INCREASES OF INSULIN. THE SUBSTANCE IN OUR DIET THAT'S MOST
RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE SURGES IS STARCH, NAMELY, ANYTHING MADE FROM POTATOES,
RICE, FLOUR, CORN, OR OTHER GRAINS. (THINK PASTA, LASAGNA, WHITE BREAD,
DOUGHNUTS, COOKIES, AND CAKES.) YOU COULD CUT OUT THESE FOODS ENTIRELY. BUT
WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT IF THERE WERE A WAY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM WITHOUT
COMPLETELY ELIMINATING THESE CARBS?
IT TURNS OUT THERE IS.
YOU CAN BLUNT THE BLOOD SUGAR-RAISING EFFECTS BY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF NATURAL
SUBSTANCES IN FOODS THAT SLOW CARBOHYDRATE DIGESTION AND ENTRY INTO THE
BLOODSTREAM. NO MATTER WHAT KIND OF SUGAR BLOCKER YOU USE, YOUR WAISTLINE (AND
HEALTH) WILL WIN IN THE END.
SUGAR BLOCKER 1: HAVE A FATTY SNACK 10 TO
30 MINUTES BEFORE YOUR MEALS
REASON: YOU REMAIN FULLER LONGER.
AT THE OUTLET OF YOUR STOMACH IS A MUSCULAR RING, THE PYLORIC VALVE. IT
REGULATES THE SPEED AT WHICH FOOD LEAVES YOUR STOMACH AND ENTERS YOUR SMALL
INTESTINE. THIS VALVE IS ALL THAT STANDS BETWEEN THE ZITI IN YOUR STOMACH AND A
SURGE OF GLUCOSE IN YOUR BLOODSTREAM. BUT YOU CAN SEND YOUR PYLORIC VALVE A
MESSAGE TO SLOW DOWN.
FAT TRIGGERS A REFLEX
THAT CONSTRICTS THE VALVE AND SLOWS DIGESTION. AS LITTLE AS A TEASPOON OF FAT,
EASILY PROVIDED BY A HANDFUL OF NUTS OR A PIECE OF CHEESE, WILL DO THE TRICK,
PROVIDED YOU EAT IT BEFORE YOUR MEAL.
REASON: IT SOAKS UP STARCH AND SUGAR.
SOLUBLE FIBER FROM THE PULP OF PLANTS, SUCH AS BEANS, CARROTS, APPLES, AND
ORANGES, SWELLS LIKE A SPONGE IN YOUR INTESTINES AND TRAPS STARCH AND SUGAR IN
THE NICHES BETWEEN ITS MOLECULES. SOLUBLE MEANS "DISSOLVABLE," AND
INDEED, SOLUBLE FIBER EVENTUALLY DISSOLVES, RELEASING GLUCOSE. HOWEVER, THAT
TAKES TIME. THE GLUCOSE IT ABSORBS SEEPS INTO YOUR BLOODSTREAM SLOWLY, SO YOUR
BODY NEEDS LESS INSULIN TO HANDLE IT. A GOOD WAY TO ENSURE THAT YOU GET ENOUGH
SOLUBLE FIBER IS TO HAVE A SALAD, PREFERABLY BEFORE, RATHER THAN AFTER, YOU EAT
A STARCH.
SUGAR BLOCKER 3: HAVE SOME VINEGAR.
REASON: IT SLOWS THE BREAKDOWN OF STARCH
INTO SUGAR.
THE HIGH ACETIC ACID CONTENT IN VINEGAR DEACTIVATES AMYLASE, THE ENZYME THAT
TURNS STARCH INTO SUGAR. (IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT KIND OF VINEGAR YOU USE.)
BECAUSE IT ACTS ON STARCH ONLY, IT HAS NO EFFECT ON THE ABSORPTION OF REFINED
SUGAR. IN OTHER WORDS, IT WILL HELP IF YOU EAT BREAD, BUT NOT CANDY. BUT
THERE'S ONE MORE BENEFIT: VINEGAR ALSO INCREASES THE BODY'S SENSITIVITY TO
INSULIN.
YOU SHOULD CONSUME
VINEGAR AT THE START OF YOUR MEAL. PUT IT IN SALAD DRESSING OR SPRINKLE A
COUPLE OF TABLESPOONS ON MEAT OR VEGETABLES. VINEGAR BRINGS OUT THE FLAVOR OF FOOD,
AS SALT DOES.
REASON: YOU WON'T SECRETE AS MUCH INSULIN.
HERE'S A PARADOX: YOU WANT TO BLUNT INSULIN SPIKES, BUT TO DO THAT, YOU NEED TO
START SECRETING INSULIN SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. IT'S LIKE A FIRE DEPARTMENT
RESPONDING TO A FIRE. THE QUICKER THE ALARM GOES OFF, THE FEWER FIREFIGHTERS
WILL BE NEEDED TO PUT OUT THE BLAZE.
EVEN THOUGH PROTEIN
CONTAINS NO GLUCOSE, IT TRIGGERS A "FIRST-PHASE INSULIN RESPONSE"
THAT OCCURS SO FAST, IT KEEPS YOUR BLOOD SUGAR FROM RISING AS HIGH LATER AND,
REDUCES THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF INSULIN YOU NEED TO HANDLE A MEAL. SO HAVE MEATBALLS
WITH YOUR SPAGHETTI.
SUGAR BLOCKER 5: EAT LIGHTLY COOKED
VEGETABLES.
REASON: YOU DIGEST THEM MORE SLOWLY.
BOTH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES CONTAIN SOLUBLE FIBER. AS A RULE, THOUGH, VEGETABLES
MAKE BETTER SUGAR BLOCKERS, BECAUSE THEY HAVE MORE FIBER AND LESS SUGAR.
BUT DON'T COOK YOUR
VEGETABLES TO MUSH. BOILING VEGETABLES UNTIL THEY'RE LIMP AND SOGGY SATURATES
THE SOLUBLE FIBER, FILLING IT WITH WATER SO IT CAN'T ABSORB THE SUGAR AND
STARCH YOU WANT IT TO. ALSO, CRISP VEGETABLES ARE CHUNKIER WHEN THEY REACH YOUR
STOMACH, AND LARGER FOOD PARTICLES TAKE LONGER TO DIGEST, SO YOU'LL FEEL FULL
LONGER. ANOTHER TIP: ROASTED VEGETABLES LIKE CAULIFLOWER CAN OFTEN SERVE AS A
DELICIOUS STARCH SUBSTITUTE.
SUGAR BLOCKER 6: HAVE A GLASS OF WINE WITH
DINNER. REASON: YOUR LIVER WON'T PRODUCE AS MUCH
GLUCOSE.
ALCOHOL HAS UNIQUE SUGAR-BLOCKING PROPERTIES. YOUR LIVER NORMALLY CONVERTS SOME
OF THE FAT AND PROTEIN IN YOUR BLOOD TO GLUCOSE, WHICH ADDS TO THE GLUCOSE FROM
THE CARBS YOU EAT. BUT ALCOHOL CONSUMED WITH A MEAL TEMPORARILY HALTS YOUR
LIVER'S GLUCOSE PRODUCTION. A SERVING OF ANY ALCOHOL; BEER, RED OR WHITE WINE,
OR A SHOT OF HARD LIQUOR, WILL REDUCE THE BLOOD SUGAR LOAD OF A TYPICAL SERVING
OF STARCH BY APPROXIMATELY 25 PERCENT.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU
SHOULD HAVE SEVERAL DRINKS (ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE DIABETES, AS MULTIPLE DRINKS
CAN CAUSE HYPOGLYCEMIA). NOT ONLY DOES ALCOHOL CONTAIN CALORIES, BUT IT ALSO
DELAYS THE SENSATION OF FULLNESS, SO YOU TEND TO OVEREAT AND PILE ON CALORIES.
BE ESPECIALLY MINDFUL ABOUT AVOIDING COCKTAILS THAT ARE MADE WITH SWEETENED
MIXERS, YET ANOTHER SOURCE OF SUGAR.
SUGAR BLOCKER 7: EAT SWEETS FOR DESSERT
ONLY. REASON: ALL OF THE ABOVE.
IF YOU EAT SWEETS ON AN EMPTY STOMACH, THERE'S NOTHING TO IMPEDE THE SUGAR FROM
RACING DIRECTLY INTO YOUR BLOODSTREAM, NO FAT, NO SOLUBLE FIBER, NO PROTEIN, NO
VINEGAR. BUT IF YOU CONFINE SWEETS TO THE END OF THE MEAL, YOU HAVE ALL OF THE
BUILT-IN PROTECTION THE PRECEDING RULES PROVIDE. IF YOU WANT TO KEEP BLOOD SUGAR
ON AN EVEN KEEL, AVOID BETWEEN-MEAL SWEETS AT ALL COSTS, AND WHEN YOU DO
INDULGE, DON'T EAT MORE THAN YOU CAN HOLD IN THE CUP OF YOUR HAND. BUT A FEW
BITES OF CANDY AFTER A MEAL WILL HAVE LITTLE EFFECT ON YOUR BLOOD SUGAR AND
INSULIN, AND CAN BE QUITE SATISFYING.
While
many of us wonder just how much exercise we really need in order to gain health
and fitness, a group of scientists in Canada are turning that issue on its head
and asking, how little exercise do we need?
The
emerging and engaging answer appears to be, a lot less than most of us think —
provided we’re willing to work a bit.
In
proof of that idea, researchers at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario,
recently gathered several groups of volunteers. One consisted of sedentary but
generally healthy middle-aged men and women. Another was composed of
middle-aged and older patients who’d been diagnosed with cardiovascular
disease.
The
researchers tested each volunteer’s maximum heart rate and peak power output on
a stationary bicycle. In both groups, the peaks were not, frankly, very high;
all of the volunteers were out of shape and, in the case of the cardiac
patients, unwell. But they gamely agreed to undertake a newly devised program
of cycling intervals.
Most of
us have heard of intervals, or repeated, short, sharp bursts of strenuous
activity, interspersed with rest periods. Almost all competitive athletes
strategically employ a session or two of interval training every week to
improve their speed and endurance.
But the
Canadian researchers were not asking their volunteers to sprinkle a few
interval sessions into exercise routines. Instead, the researchers wanted the
groups to exercise exclusively with intervals.
For
years, the American Heart Association and other organizations have recommended
that people complete 30 minutes or more of continuous, moderate-intensity
exercise, such as a brisk walk, five times a week, for overall good health.
But
millions of Americans don’t engage in that much moderate exercise, if they
complete any at all. Asked why, a majority of respondents, in survey after
survey, say, “I don’t have time.”
Intervals,
however, require little time. They are, by definition, short. But whether most
people can tolerate intervals, and whether, in turn, intervals provide the same
health and fitness benefits as longer, more moderate endurance exercise are
issues that haven’t been much investigated.
Several
years ago, the McMasters scientists did test a punishing workout, known as
high-intensity interval training, or HIIT, that involved 30 seconds of all-out
effort at 100 percent of a person’s maximum heart rate. After six weeks, these lacerating HIIT sessions produced similar physiological
changes in the leg muscles of young men as multiple, hour-long sessions
per week of steady cycling, even though the HIIT workouts involved about 90
percent less exercise time.
Recognizing,
however, that few of us willingly can or will practice such straining all-out
effort, the researchers also developed a gentler but still chronologically
abbreviated form of HIIT. This modified routine involved one minute of
strenuous effort, at about 90 percent of a person’s maximum heart rate (which
most of us can estimate, very roughly, by subtracting our age from 220),
followed by one minute of easy recovery. The effort and recovery are repeated
10 times, for a total of 20 minutes.
Despite
the small time commitment of this modified HIIT program, after several weeks of
practicing it, both the unfit volunteers and the cardiac patients showed
significant improvements in their health and fitness.
The
results, published in a recent review of HIIT-related
research, were especially remarkable in the cardiac patients. They
showed “significant improvements” in the functioning of their blood vessels and
heart, said Maureen MacDonald, an associate professor of kinesiology at
McMaster who is leading the ongoing experiment.
It
might seem counterintuitive that strenuous exercise would be productive or even
wise for cardiac patients. But so far none have experienced heart problems
related to the workouts, Dr. MacDonald said. “It appears that the heart is
insulated from the intensity” of the intervals, she said, “because the effort
is so brief.”
Almost
as surprising, the cardiac patients have embraced the routine. Although their
ratings of perceived exertion, or sense of the discomfort of each individual interval,
are high and probably accurate, averaging a 7 or higher on a 10-point scale,
they report enjoying the entire sessions more than longer, continuous moderate
exercise, Dr. MacDonald said.
“The
hard work is short,” she points out, “so it’s tolerable.” Members of a
separate, exercise control group at the rehab center, assigned to complete
standard 30-minute moderate-intensity workout sessions, have been watching
wistfully as the interval trainers leave the lab before them. “They want to
switch groups,” she said.
The
scientists have noted other benefits in earlier studies. In unfit but otherwise
healthy middle-aged adults, two weeks of modified HIIT training prompted the
creation of far more cellular proteins involved in energy production and
oxygen. The training also improved the volunteers’ insulin sensitivity and
blood sugar regulation, lowering their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes,
according to a study published last fall in Medicine
& Science in Sports & Exercise.
Since
then, the scientists completed a small, follow-up experiment
involving people with full-blown Type 2 diabetes. They found that even a single
bout of the 1-minute hard, 1-minute easy HIIT training, repeated 10 times,
improved blood sugar regulation throughout the following day, particularly
after meals.
Of
course, HIIT training is not ideal or necessary for everyone, said Martin
Gibala, a professor of kinesiology at McMaster, who’s overseen the
high-intensity studies. “If you have time” for regular 30-minute or longer
endurance exercise training, “then by all means, keep it up,” he said. “There’s
an impressive body of science showing” that such workouts “are very effective
at improving health and fitness.”
But if
time constraints keep you from lengthier exercise, he continues, consult your
doctor for clearance, and then consider rapidly pedaling a stationary bicycle
or sprinting uphill for one minute, aiming to raise your heart rate to about 90
percent of your maximum. Pedal or jog easily downhill for a minute and repeat
nine times, perhaps twice a week. “It’s very potent exercise,” Dr. Gibala said.
“And then, very quickly, it’s done.”
(CBS) Soda drinkers can't seem to catch a break these days. A new study
suggests drinking soda might raise the risk for respiratory diseases like asthma
and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). PICTURES: Sugary
drink shockers
For the study, published in the Feb. 7 issue of Respirology,
Australian researchers surveyed nearly 17,000 people asking about their soft
drink habits. For this study's purposes, soft drinks included Coke, lemonade,
flavored mineral water, Powerade, and Gatorade, and all other types of soda, the
researchers said.
What did they find?
One in 10 Australian adults drink more than half a liter of soft drink per
day - that's more than two cups. But that amount was tied to "dose-response
relationship" with risk for asthma and COPD, meaning the more soft drinks people
consume, the higher their risk. Overall, 13.3 percent of surveyed participants
with asthma and 15.6 percent of those with COPD drank more than two cups of soda
each day.
What does drinking soda have to do with lung health? The study authors said
one reason may be drinking soda is tied to an increased risk for obesity, which
raises risk for asthma and COPD.
"Our study emphasizes the importance of healthy eating and drinking in the
prevention of chronic diseases like asthma and COPD," study author Dr. Zumin
Shi, a research fellow at the University of Adelaide in Australia, said in a written
statement.
The study did not prove cause-and-effect, only an observational link, so some
experts thought many unhealthy factors contributed to the raised risk.
"High soda intake is a good marker for poor overall diet, and poor overall
attention to health," Dr. David Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center
at Yale University in New Haven, Conn., told MedPage
Today. "It likely suggests greater exposure to everything from tobacco smoke
to air pollution."
This study is far from the first to tie drinking soda to health risks.
A 2010 study in the journal, "Diabetes Care," found daily soda drinkers were
25 percent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, HealthPop
reported. The diet drinks don't fare much better. A study in Feb. 2011 of 2,500
adults found daily diet soda drinkers had a higher risk
for stroke and heart attack than people who drank no
soda.
