A recent study by Zumin Shi, Discipline of Medicine at the University of Adelaide and team, published in Respirology, suggests soda intake can raise the risk of respiratory problems, including Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD)

Between 2008 and 2010, around 16,000 people, over the age of 16 (average age 46.7), were examined in terms of their soda consumption, using the South Australian Monitoring and Surveillance System. The researchers state that 1 in every 10 people drink at least half a litre of carbonated beverages per day.

The authors found a 12.5% higher chance for soda drinkers to develop asthma, and a 4.4% higher chance of soda drinkers developing COPD. However, the study could not confirm whether this had anything to do with a regular unhealthy diet altogether, not just in terms of soda.

Both COPD and Asthma had a higher risk of developing when the person was a smoker. There was a 6.6% higher chance of smokers developing the diseases if they also drank half a litre of soda a day, than those who did not smoke or drink soda at all.

Shi says:

“Our study emphasizes the importance of healthy eating and drinking in the prevention of chronic diseases like asthma and COPD.”

The researchers commented that sweetened soft drinks have had a long history associated with health problems, such as heart disease and stroke. However, this is the first study of its kind to find soda consumption possibly linked to COPD and Asthma.

David Katz, MD, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale, concludes:

“High soda intake is a good marker for poor overall diet, and poor overall attention to health, it likely suggests greater exposure to everything from tobacco smoke to air pollution.”

Written By Christine Kearney