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 Researchers examined data on soda consumption, bone health and
fractures for more than 70,000 women who were 69 years old on
average. Half the women were tracked for at least 12 years. Overall,
2,578 hip fractures occurred during follow-up.
When the researchers looked at consumption of carbonated beverages,
they found that women who drank an average of more than 14 12-ounce
servings a week were 26% more likely to experience a hip fracture
during the study period than women who never had soda. And women who
had more than 14 servings a week of caffeine-free soda were 32% more
likely to experience hip fractures.
"Based on our results, low or regular levels of soda consumption
would not increase the risk of fractures in postmenopausal women,"
said Dr. Pedro Kremer, lead author of the study and a researcher at
the University of California San Diego and San Diego State
University.
"However, after a certain amount -the equivalent of two cans per
day- the risk would be significantly higher," Kremer said by email.
During menopause and afterward, the body slows production of new
bone tissue and women can face an increased risk of osteoporosis.
When bones become more porous and brittle, women have an increased
risk of fractures.
Soda and other carbonated beverages have been linked to lower bone
mineral density in some previous studies, researchers note in
Menopause. But results have been mixed and prior studies haven't
offered a clear picture of whether sodas are a particular problem.
In the current study, researchers didn't find a connection between
lower levels of soda consumption and fracture risk. The increased
risk was only present when women consumed more than two sodas daily.
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The risk with heavy soda consumption persisted even after
researchers accounted for other factors that can impact bone health
and fracture risk like use of osteoporosis medications, diabetes,
coffee intake, income, exercise levels, and maternal hip fracture
history.
The study wasn't a controlled experiment designed to prove whether
or how heavy soda consumption might directly cause fractures.
One limitation of the study is that researchers lacked data on soda
consumption throughout the entire follow-up period, and it's
possible that this might have impacted fracture risk, the study team
notes. Also, they weren't able to distinguish between consumption of
diet soda and sugar-sweetened soda.
More research is also needed to examine the impact of sugar and
other sweeteners in soda on fracture risk, researchers point out.
Even so, cutting back on soda may have health benefits and be one of
several modifiable risk factors that women can control to minimize
their risk of fractures, Kremer said.
"It is important to avoid behaviors that could raise the chances (of
fractures) even more, like sedentarism, certain medications,
tobacco, and unbalanced diets," Kremer said. "Drinking high amounts
of sodas should probably be added to that list of behaviors, as an
additional measure to avoid increased chances of hip fractures."
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2MV5BY8 Menopause, online October 14, 2019.
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