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Higher carbonated soft drink consumption associated with lower bone density In a recent study from Northern Ireland some 591 boys and 744 girls aged 12 or 15 from 36 schools were investigated for a relationship between carbonated soft drink (CSD) consumption and bone density. The researchers found that in girls there was an inverse relation between CSD and bone density as measured in the (dominant) heel. The hypothesis is that girls who replace more nutritious drinks with CSDs are perhaps placing bone density at risk. Other work in this area has shown that maternal milk consumption correlates with milk vs soft drink consumption in their children, and there is also animal research which suggests that CSDs inhibit bone development. The obvious and worrying relationship would be with eating disorders, and the question arises as to whether the association reflects less calcium intake vs an independent action of the CSD. Previous work in animals has also suggested that the effect could be related to the effect on bone following consumption of CSDs from aluminium cans Read more: J Bone Miner Res 2003;18:1563-9 J Nutr 2001;131:246-50 Arch Med Res 2000;31:360-5 Biometals 1994;7:57-60 |