Australian study: Too much carbonated drinks may lead to asthma

Refreshing and powerful carbonated drinks are the best choice for many people to quench their thirst. Even though the high fructose syrup contained in commercially available carbonated drinks can easily make people gain weight or cause chronic cardiovascular diseases, there are still many consumers who drink a bottle almost every day. However, an Australian study found that people who often drink carbonated drinks seem to be at high risk of respiratory diseases such as asthma.

Australian research shows that frequent consumption of carbonated drinks can significantly increase the risk of asthma. (Photo/From the British newspaper The Guardian)

The Guardian reported yesterday that Adelaide University in Australia conducted a survey on 16,907 consumers aged 16 and above in South Australia between 2008 and 2010. Among them, 11.4% consumed more than 500cc of carbonated drinks every day. Among all patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), 13.3% and 15.6% respectively admitted to drinking at least one can of carbonated drink every day.

After cross-comparison, the researchers calculated that consumers who regularly consumed 500cc of carbonated drinks per day had an odds ratio (OR) of 1.26 and 1.79 for developing asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, respectively, compared to those who did not drink at all, indicating an inseparable connection between the two. This report was published in the February 2012 issue of the journal Respirology.

The researchers also mentioned that if smokers do not control the frequency of drinking carbonated beverages, their chances of developing asthma will be 6.6 times that of the average person, which will undoubtedly make their health worse. Therefore, they called for reducing daily intake as a top priority.