"A soft drink a day raises diabetes risk", Sydney Morning Herald,
Australia, April 24, 2006,
Link:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/diabetes/a-soft-drink-a-day-raises-diabetes-risk/2006
/04/24/1145730837331.html

One sugary drink a day increases the risk of diabetes in women by 80
per cent, experts warn.

Kidney Health Australia today called on all states and territories to
join Victoria's lead and ban sugar laden drinks at schools.

Dr Tim Mathew, Kidney Health Australia's medical director, said
research in the US had shown one soft drink or sweet juice each day at
any age was associated with an 80 per cent increase in the risk of
acquiring diabetes in females.

"Sugar sweetened drinks are now the principal source of added sugars in
the diet of Americans, with a similar trend happening in Australia," Dr
Mathew said in a statement.

"As a person gets bigger, hyper-filtration occurs and this over
filtration is what destroys the kidneys."

Chief executive of Kidney Health Australia, Anne Wilson, called on the
federal government to run a "drink water campaign" as part of a
coordinated program targeting obesity and diabetes.

"We are supportive of any move which will assist the prevention of
kidney diseases in Australia which is spiralling out of control," Ms
Wilson said.

Dr Mathew said this would mean the removal of some soft drinks from
tuck shops and vending machines on school property.

"We believe Australia should have a National Drink Water program aimed
at increasing water consumption by children ages one to 12 to combat
the hundreds of millions of dollars which are spent urging children to
drink sugar laden soft drinks," he said.