Swapping sugary beverages for tea, black coffee, low-fat milk or plain water may help adults with Type 2 diabetes live longer, according to a recent study.
Researchers used data from more than 15,000 adults with Type 2 diabetes who were part of two separate studies that took place from the 1980s to 2018.
After accounting for other lifestyle factors and medical history, they found that people who drank the most sugar-sweetened beverages (more than one serving a day) had a 20% increased risk of death from any cause compared with the participants who drank less than one serving a month.
In contrast, high intakes (up to six servings a day) of non-sugary beverages were linked to lower risk of death: 26% lower for coffee, 23% for water, 21% for tea and 12% for low-fat milk.
“Overall, these results provide additional evidence that emphasizes the importance of beverage choices in maintaining overall health among adults with diabetes,” the researchers write.
The study was published online in the journal BMJ.
