Soda Diabetes Risk: Just One Can a Day Increases Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Researchers at the Imperial College of London have linked soda consumption and type 2 diabetes to other countries besides North America. According to the study, drinking just one soda a day increases your risk of diabetes.

To test the theory, researchers examined 15 years of data on sugar-sweetened beverage consumption that included more than 27,000 people from seven European countries. During that time period, reports indicate that more than 40 percent developed type 2 diabetes, whith those who said they drank at least one soda or some other sweet drink each day showing an 18 percent higher risk of developing the disease. When factors like body weight and body mass index weren't controlled for, the risk rose to 22 percent.

However, it's important to note that when body weight and exercise levels were factored in, the link disappeared. In other words, healthy-weight, exercising diet soda drinkers were no more likely to develop type two diabetes than non-soda drinkers.

But why is drinking one can of soda so bad for you and potentially life threatening?

"Aside from sugar, there are nine other potentially dangerous ingredients in soda, including carcinogenic artificial colors and phosphoric acid, which can contribute to everything from obesity to cancer to the depletion of micronutrients essential for strong bones," said Jayson Calton, co-author of Rich Food, Poor Food, a book that explains the hidden dangers in food and beverages, according to ABC News.