A study revealed that Drinking sugar-sweetened beverages daily may increase the risk of Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the build up of extra fat in liver cells that is not caused by alcohol. It is normal for the liver to contain some fat. However, if more than 5% - 10% percent of the liver’s weight is fat, then it is called a fatty liver (steatosis).Sugar-sweetened beverages are a major dietary source of fructose, the sugar which is suspected of increasing risk of NAFLD because of how our bodies process it. The study appeared in the Journal of Hepatology.
2,634 middle-aged men and women involved in the study. Sugar-sweetened beverages included caffeinated- and caffeine-free colas, other carbonated beverages with sugar, fruit punches, lemonade or other non-carbonated fruit drinks. Scientist observe a higher prevalence of NAFLD among people who reported drinking more than one sugar-sweetened beverage per day as compared to people who consume no sugar-sweetened beverages. The relationships between sugar-sweetened beverages and NAFLD persisted after the researchers accounted for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and dietary and lifestyle factors such as calorie intake, alcohol and smoking. Surprisingly, after accounting for these factors the authors found no association between diet cola and NAFLD.
Main author Jiantao Ma from Tufts University in the US said, "Our study adds to a growing body of research suggesting that sugar-sweetened beverages may be linked to NAFLD and other chronic diseases including diabetes and cardiovascular disease."
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