Fed: A soft drink a day increases diabetes risk by 80 per cent

AAP General News (Australia)
04-23-2006
Fed: A soft drink a day increases diabetes risk by 80 per cent

SYDNEY, April 23 AAP - One sugary drink a day increases the risk of diabetes in women
by 80 per cent, experts warn.

Kidney Health Australia today called on all states and territories to join Victoria's
lead and ban sugar laden drinks at schools.

Dr Tim Mathew, Kidney Health Australia's medical director, said research in the US
had shown one soft drink or sweet juice each day at any age was associated with an 80
per cent increase in the risk of acquiring diabetes in females.

"Sugar sweetened drinks are now the principal source of added sugars in the diet of
Americans, with a similar trend happening in Australia," Dr Mathew said in a statement.

"As a person gets bigger, hyper-filtration occurs and this over filtration is what
destroys the kidneys."

Chief executive of Kidney Health Australia, Anne Wilson, called on the federal government
to run a "drink water campaign" as part of a coordinated program targeting obesity and
diabetes.

"We are supportive of any move which will assist the prevention of kidney diseases
in Australia which is spiralling out of control," Ms Wilson said.

Dr Mathew said this would mean the removal of some soft drinks from tuck shops and
vending machines on school property.

"We believe Australia should have a National Drink Water program aimed at increasing
water consumption by children ages one to 12 to combat the hundreds of millions of dollars
which are spent urging children to drink sugar laden soft drinks," he said.

AAP tr/cjh/sd

KEYWORD: DIABETES

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