Last Updated on 6th December 2019
Dentists – including those at Evesham Dental Health Team – and doctors have warned for years against drinking too many sugary drinks because of the dangers they pose to our overall health.
Startling new research, highlighted by our Evesham dentists, has revealed a link between consuming sugary drinks and increased risk of death.
The study involving more than 450,000 people from the UK, France and Spain shows that those having two or more soft drinks a day were more at risk of dying from heart disease, bowel disease and strokes.
Dr Nigel Carter OBE, Chief Executive of the Oral Health Foundation, says: “In the UK, we have one of the highest rates of sugar consumption worldwide.
“Added sugar is the main culprit when it comes to several major chronic diseases including tooth decay, diabetes and heart disease. The toll it takes simply cannot be ignored. More must be done to drive down sugar consumption and incentivise healthier alternatives.”
Childhood tooth decay and obesity are two widespread issues in the UK that have stemmed from high levels of sugar consumption.
Recent figures from Public Health England suggest children as young as ten have already consumed 18 years’ worth of sugar. As a result, tooth decay is currently the most common chronic disease among society’s youngest members.
The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, found that sugary soft drinks were associated with deaths from digestive conditions, such as bowel disease. Artificially-sweetened or ‘diet’ soft drinks were strongly linked to deaths from circulatory diseases, such as heart disease and strokes.
The charity believes the success of the sugar tax, introduced in April 2018, demonstrates the impact that regulation can have on sugar consumption.
Dr Carter says: “The sugar tax shows that government intervention is absolutely necessary for reducing the amount of sugar on supermarket shelves and in British homes. Tighter regulation, along with making healthier alternatives more financially affordable, are the next important steps in fixing the UK’s unhealthy relationship with sugar.”
Concerned about your sugar intake, or that of your child’s? Contact us for more information. We welcome new patients from across Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Gloucestershire.
Reference
Mullee A, Romaguera D, Pearson-Stuttard J, et al. Association Between Soft Drink Consumption and Mortality in 10 European Countries. JAMA Intern Med. Published online September 03, 2019. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.2478
