Is there a relationship between how much soda pop and soft drinks you consume and Type 2 diabetes -- either the diet kind or the kind with sugar? Thanks.

That's an interesting question and many patients of mine have asked the same thing. Regular soda pop contains significant amounts of sugar in the form of glucose. You will see this displayed on the label. This glucose load does not itself cause Type 2 diabetes, but it can place significant stress on pancreatic insulin secretion in a person who is at risk for diabetes. This can result in elevated blood glucose levels, the hallmark of Type 2 Diabetes.

The very high amount of calories in regular soda pop (again, check the label) can also contribute to weight gain and obesity, both of which are risk factors for the development of Type 2 diabetes. The diet type soda pops, on the other hand, do not contain glucose (or any other sugar) and therefore do not carry these risks. My personal advice would be to drink these rather than the regular soda pop if you desire a carbonated beverage. Thanks again for your question and good luck!

-- Dr. Bruce Biller is an internist with endocrine subspecialty training. He is the director of the Harvard Business School Health Services and physician to the Harvard University Health Services.

•Since Dr. Biller's response was posted, Consumer Health Interactive has learned of an interesting study that suggests a link between drinking soda and developing type 2 diabetes. Published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in August 2004, a study of over 91,000 women showed that higher consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages such as soda and fruit punch is associated with weight gain and an increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Even after adjusting for lifestyle factors such as exercise level and smoking, women who consumed one or more soft drinks per day had an 83 percent increased risk for developing diabetes compared to those who drank less than one per month.

First published March 4, 2003
Last updated February 11, 2008
Copyright © 2003 Consumer Health Interactive