Dr Fumiaki Imamura and colleagues (MRC Epidemiology) have found that, regardless of obesity status, habitual consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks is positively associated with incidence of type 2 diabetes.

In their study published in the BMJ, they found that the association between artificially sweetened drinks or fruit juice and type 2 diabetes was less evident. 

Despite this, they found little benefit of these drinks and concluded that they are unlikely to be healthy alternatives to sugar-sweetened drinks.

Dr Nita Forouhi, senior author of the study at the MRC Epidemiology Unit, said, “Our new findings provide further evidence to support the recent UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition recommendation that minimising the consumption of sugary drinks presents a clear opportunity towards the goal of free sugars contributing no more than 5% of daily energy intake to improve health.”