High blood pressure in children is no longer a rare condition. Doctors are seeing it more frequently, with cases rising among teens and young adults. The shift has sparked concern over long-term health risks, including heart attacks and strokes later in life. A new study suggests sugar-sweetened drinks and fruit juices may play a role in this trend.
Vasanti Malik, a nutritional sciences professor at the University of Toronto, led research analyzing data from 26,000 children aged nine to 16. Participants completed food frequency questionnaires every one to four years, with follow-up lasting up to 25 years. The findings highlight a strong link between daily consumption of sugary beverages and increased hypertension risk.
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Kids who drank two or more servings of soda, sports drinks, or lemonade daily had a 52% higher risk of hypertension than those drinking less than three servings weekly. Each daily soda serving correlated with a 23% greater risk, while sports drinks raised it by 36%. The study defines one serving as a 12-ounce can or glass.
Fruit juices showed similar risks. Children consuming 1.5 or more servings of apple or orange juice daily had a 35% higher risk than those drinking one serving weekly. Orange juice specifically carried a 20% increased risk, though other fruit juices did not show the same effect. Researchers note misreporting may have skewed some data.
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Malik advises treating fruit juice like soda. “It’s sugar in liquid form,” she said. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting juice to one 8-ounce glass daily for children aged seven to 18. Diluting juice with water or sparkling water could help reduce risk.
Substituting whole fruit for sugary drinks lowered hypertension risk by 22%, while replacing juice with whole fruit reduced it by 19%. Choosing milk, water, or skim milk over sugary drinks cut risk by up to 13%. Diet quality and physical activity levels did not alter the association between sugary drinks and hypertension.
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Health guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics emphasize water, milk, and limited juice for children.
