Soft Drink Consumption Allegedly Associated with Increased Blood Pressure

U.K. researchers have reportedly linked sugar-sweetened beverages to a risk
of high blood pressure, speculating that “one possible mechanism” for the
association “is a resultant increase in the level of uric acid in the blood that
may in turn lower the nitric oxide required to keep the blood vessels dilated.”
Ian Brown, et al., “Sugar-Sweetened Beverage, Sugar Intake of Individuals, and
Their Blood Pressure: International Study of Macro/Micronutrients and Blood
Pressure,” Hypertension, February 2011. Researchers apparently analyzed food
survey, urine and blood pressure data from 2,696 participants enrolled in
INTERMAP, or the International Study of Macronutrients, Micronutrients and
Blood Pressure.

According to a February 28, 2011, Imperial College of London press release,
the results purportedly showed that “for every extra can of sugary drink
consumed per day, participants on average had a higher systolic blood
pressure by 1.6 mmHg and a higher diastolic blood pressure by 0.8 mmHg.”
The study did not report a similar effect for diet soda drinkers, but found the
association most pronounced in regular soda drinkers who also consumed
the most sodium. “This points to another possible intervention to lower blood
pressure,” one author was quoted as saying. “These findings lend support for
recommendations to reduce the intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, as
well as added sugars and sodium in an effort to reduce blood pressure and
improve cardiovascular health.” See Food-Navigator-USA.com, March 1, 2011.