Higher intake of sugary cola may cause gestational diabetes

Findings of the study also suggest that children of such women are at an increased risk of early onset of diabetes, developing childhood obesity and glucose intolerance.

Therefore, experts caution, all those who are thinking of having a baby should cut down their cola consumption.

13,475 women studied for 10 years
To find out an association between cola consumption and diabetes risk during pregnancy, researchers examined the data of a large trial study involving 13,475 women.

The women’s dietary patterns were followed for 10 years. A total of 860 incident cases of gestational diabetes were identified during the follow up period.

Researchers also made adjustments for known risk factors for gestational diabetes such as age, family history of diabetes, physical activity, smoking status, sugar-sweetened beverage intake, alcohol intake, pregnancy body mass index (BMI), and Western dietary pattern.

The study was carried out by experts from Louisiana State University’s (LSU) Health Sciences Center New Orleans School of Public Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Harvard School of Public Health, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Harvard Medical School.

Excessive soda intake linked to diabetes risk in pregnancy
Researchers noted that women who consumed more than five servings of sugary soda drinks a week before becoming pregnant were 22 percent more likely to develop gestational diabetes or glucose intolerance that begins during pregnancy, compared to others who consumed less than one serving.

"Compared with women who consumed less than 1 serving per month, those who consumed more than 5 servings per week of sugar-sweetened cola had a 22 percent greater GDM risk," said Liwei Chen, lead author of the study and assistant professor of Epidemiology at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans School of Public Health.

On the other hand, no significant association was found for sweetened drinks or diet drinks other than the sugary soda drinks, the researchers said.

"We don't know why significant association was only found in sugar-sweetened cola, but not other types of sugar-sweetened beverages -- fruit drinks, other soft drinks, etc," Chen said.

It was also found that women with gestational diabetes were more likely to develop health complications and illness during pregnancy as well as delivery. They were also at a higher risk of developing post-pregnancy type 2 diabetes.

Soda intake induces glycemic response
A higher intake of sugar-laced cola drinks are associated with inducing a high glycemic response--rise in sugar blood levels. Rise in sugar levels is also linked to impaired function of pancreas, where insulin is produced.

This could be the probable cause for an increased risk of diabetes during pregnancy, explained the researchers.

However, cutting down the cola consumption as well as taking natural diabetes supplements such as magnesium could help in lowering the risk factor, they said.

The study’s findings will be published in the December issue of the journal Diabetes Care.

Gestational diabetes
Gestational diabetes (or gestational diabetes mellitus, GDM) is a condition in which women, without previously diagnosed with diabetes, exhibit high blood glucose levels during pregnancy, as stated by Wikipedia.

The condition can lead to premature child birth, and also increases the risk of developing post-pregnancy diabetes.