Article Impact Level: HIGH Data Quality: STRONG Summary of Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1452085. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1452085 Suzanne Janzi et al.
Points
- A large cohort study of 69,705 Swedish participants over 22 years examined the link between added sugar intake from various food sources and the risk of seven cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).
- Higher added sugar intake, particularly from sweetened beverages, was associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and abdominal aortic aneurysm.
- Intake of sugar-sweetened treats (e.g., pastries, ice cream, and chocolate) showed negative associations with all cardiovascular outcomes, suggesting potential protective effects.
- The impact of added sugar on cardiovascular health varied by disease and sugar source, with sweetened beverages posing significant risks, while some sugar sources appeared less detrimental.
- The study highlights the need to reduce sweetened beverage consumption and conduct further research to understand the long-term effects of different sugar sources on cardiovascular health.
Summary
This study aimed to investigate the association between added sugar intake from various food sources and the risk of seven cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in a large cohort of 69,705 participants, aged 45–83 years, from the Swedish Mammography Cohort and Cohort of Swedish Men. Participants were followed for up to 22 years, with data on ischemic stroke (n = 6,912), hemorrhagic stroke (n = 1,664), myocardial infarction (n = 6,635), heart failure (n = 10,090), aortic stenosis (n = 1,872), atrial fibrillation (n = 13,167), and abdominal aortic aneurysm (n = 1,575) collected through national registers. Cox regression models were employed to analyze the data, adjusting for time-updated exposure and covariates.
The results indicated that added sugar intake was positively associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke and abdominal aortic aneurysm. Notably, the highest risks for most cardiovascular outcomes were found in the lowest intake category, which suggests that a certain level of intake may be more detrimental. Positive linear associations were observed between intake of sweetened beverages and ischemic stroke, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and abdominal aortic aneurysm, with sweetened beverages being a significant source of risk. Conversely, negative associations were found between intake of treats (e.g., pastries, ice cream, and chocolate) and all cardiovascular outcomes, as well as between toppings (e.g., table sugar, honey, jams) and heart failure and aortic stenosis.
The study’s findings suggest that the impact of added sugar on cardiovascular health varies based on the disease and the specific food source of added sugar. The results emphasize the significant adverse health effects of sweetened beverage consumption and the potential benefits of reducing the intake of sugar-sweetened treats for reducing cardiovascular risk. These findings highlight the need for further research to investigate the long-term effects of various sugar sources on cardiovascular diseases.
Link to the article: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1452085/full
References Janzi, S., González-Padilla, E., Ramne, S., Bergwall, S., Borné, Y., & Sonestedt, E. (2024). Added sugar intake and its associations with incidence of seven different cardiovascular diseases in 69,705 Swedish men and women. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1452085. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1452085
