Regular consumption of sweetened drinks has been associated with changes in blood pressure, insulin levels, and inflammatory markers, as well as weight gain factors implicated in metabolic syndrome, diabetes, coronary heart disease and stroke.
For the study researchers tracked the health of 42,400 men, aged between 45 anmd 79, residing in two counties of Sweden between 1998 and 2010 using national registry data.
During the monitoring period, which averaged 12 years, 3,604 new cases of heart failure were diagnosed, and 509 people died of their condition.
After taking account of other potentially influential factors, the data analysis indicated that consumption of at least two daily servings of sweetened drinks was associated with a 23% heightened risk of developing heart failure compared with no consumption.
