Sugary drinks in childhood linked to 52% higher risk of high blood pressure later

A 25-year study of nearly 26,000 people found that frequent consumption of sugary drinks and fruit juice from childhood was associated with a greater risk of developing hypertension in adulthood.

A long-term study has added to evidence that what children and teenagers drink may shape their heart health decades later. Researchers following nearly 26,000 young people found that frequent intake of sugar-sweetened drinks and fruit juice from childhood into adulthood was linked with a higher likelihood of developing high blood pressure later in life, according to findings published in JAMA.

The study tracked participants, whose average age at the outset was about 12, for as long as 25 years. During that period, 1,625 people developed hypertension. Those who drank at least two servings of sugary drinks a day had a 52% higher risk of high blood pressure than those who drank fewer than three servings a week, even after accounting for body mass index, overall diet quality and physical activity, the researchers reported.

The findings also suggest that not all sweet drinks affect the body in the same way. Whole fruit did not show the same risk pattern seen with juice, while higher fruit juice intake was associated with greater hypertension risk. According to the researchers, that difference may reflect the role of fibre and the way sugar is consumed when fruit is eaten whole rather than processed into juice.

The American Heart Association has separately warned that sugar-sweetened drinks can raise the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, even among people who exercise regularly. Harvard Health has also noted that daily consumption of sugary drinks has been associated with a modestly higher risk of high blood pressure. Taken together, the research points to a simple message for families: cutting back on sugary drinks in childhood may help lower the odds of heart problems later on.