“This review of studies is extremely comprehensive and there is no reason to believe that its conclusions do not apply to the situation in the UK” said Professor Nick Finer, honorary professor at the Department of Medicine, University College London. “It confirms what we see with our patients on a daily basis - the link between excess weight, a poor diet containing excessive sugary drinks, and cardiovascular disease. Of course the links between diet, obesity and disease are complex but especially for children, consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is un-neccessary and exposes them to health risks.”
Professor Avijit Lahiri says:
We only ignore this warning at serious risk to the community. There are 196 million diabetics in the world, in 2020 there will be 400 million! 70-80% will die a premature 'cardiac' death. The commonest cause of death in the World will be due coronary heart disease fuelled by Metabolic Syndrome, diabetes and obesity combination. Obesity and hyperlipaedimia is also increasing in children and this will lead to development of early T2 diabetes.
Governments all over the world should focus on low sugar containing, low fat healthier food. Many of these 'developing' countries saw increased mortality from child birth, infections, starvation and war; this will change to mortality from coronary heart disease driven by diabetes and metabolic syndrome in the next decade. I therefore support the data presented, and I am of the opinion that these high risk individuals should be screened early for silent coronary atherosclerosis and vascular disease.
