• Teresa T Fung, Vasanti Malik, Kathryn M Rexrode, JoAnn E Manson, Walter C Willett, and Frank B Hu.
• Department of Nutrition, Simmons College, Boston, MA 02115, USA. fung@simmons.edu
• Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2009 Apr 1; 89 (4): 1037-42.

BackgroundPrevious studies have linked full-calorie sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) with greater weight gain and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.ObjectiveWe prospectively examined the association between consumption of SSBs and the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in women.DesignWomen (n = 88,520) from the Nurses' Health Study aged 34-59 y, without previously diagnosed coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, or diabetes in 1980, were followed from 1980 to 2004. Consumption of SSBs was derived from 7 repeated food-frequency questionnaires administered between 1980 and 2002. Relative risks (RRs) for CHD were calculated by using Cox proportional hazards models and adjusted for known cardiovascular disease risk factors.ResultsDuring 24 y of follow-up, we ascertained 3105 incident cases of CHD (nonfatal myocardial infarction and fatal CHD). After standard and dietary risk factors were adjusted for, the RRs (and 95% CIs) of CHD according to categories of cumulative average of SSB consumption (<1/mo, 1-4/mo, 2-6/wk, 1/d, and > or =2 servings/d) were 1.0, 0.96 (0.87, 1.06), 1.04 (0.95, 1.14), 1.23 (1.06, 1.43), and 1.35 (1.07, 1.69) (P for trend < 0.001). Additional adjustment for body mass index, energy intake, and incident diabetes attenuated the associations, but they remained significant. Artificially sweetened beverages were not associated with CHD.ConclusionRegular consumption of SSBs is associated with a higher risk of CHD in women, even after other unhealthful lifestyle or dietary factors are accounted for.

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