Drinking one or more soft drinks a day may increase the risk of getting heart disease, media reports quoting a new research said Tuesday.(File Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, July 24 (Xinhuanet) -- Drinking one or more soft drinks a day may increase the risk of getting heart disease, media reports quoting a new research said Tuesday.

    The research published in the U.S. Heart Association's journal Circulation finds that adults who drink one or more soft drinks a day have about a 50 percent higher risk of metabolic syndrome, which in turn boosts the chance of getting heart disease.

    In the five criteria to diagnose metabolic syndrome, the study finds a 30 percent increased risk of developing a large waistline, a 25 percent increased risk of developing high blood triglycerides as well as high blood sugar, and a 32 percent higher risk of having low high-density lipoprotein or "good" cholesterol levels, showing no significant link with blood pressure.

    Prior studies have linked consumption of sugar-laden soft drinks with multiple risk factors for heart disease, but Ramachandran Vasan of Boston University School of Medicine and his colleagues also find the link extends to diet soft drinks.

    After adjusting for intake of fat, fiber consumption, total calories, smoking, and physical activity, there is still a link between soft drink intake and metabolic risk factors.

    "Even one soda per day increases your risk of developing metabolic syndrome by about 50 percent," said Vasan.

    But Vasan added that the observational study could not discern any evidence that drinking soft drinks actually caused the metabolic syndrome. More study is needed.

    (Agencies)