Is Type 2 Diabetes Caused By Drinking Fruit Juice?

The American Diabetes Association defines diabetes mellitus as a condition characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from the body's inability to use blood glucose for energy.

• Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas no longer makes insulin and therefore blood glucose cannot enter the cells to be used for energy. 
• Type 2 diabetes, either the pancreas does not make enough insulin or the body is unable to use insulin correctly.

Regular consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks and fruit drinks is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in African American women, according to Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University.  While there has been increasing public awareness of the adverse health effects of soft drinks, little attention has been given to fruit drinks, which are often marketed as a healthier alternative to soft drinks, says the NCBI, National Center of Biotechnology Information.

Even though the study mentioned above was directed toward African American women, it is really a larger problem that relates to a broader group of women. A number of years ago, a study by the Department of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health directed at woman in general, reported that a higher consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with a greater magnitude of weight gain and an increased risk for development of type 2 diabetes in women.

Then again to increase the range of people to a more general level, Sugar sweetened beverages have shown a close parallel between the upsurge in obesity and rising levels of sugar sweetened beverage consumption, according to the Departments of Nutrition and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health; Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, all located in Boston, MA.

The American Diabetes Association, supports the studies that have been done and emphasizes that people should choose water and calorie-free "diet" drinks instead of regular soda, fruit punch, sweet tea and other sugar-sweetened drinks, as part of their daily routine to make healthy food choices.

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