A study printed recently in the Journal of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome assessed the effects of SSBs usually consumed by youngsters and their link with glucose metabolism and fatty liver. There are plentiful data which recommend the link between sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and metabolic disorders.

Investigators also assessed histology of the liver and adipose tissue, and molecular signaling interrelated to glucose and lipid metabolism.

Experimental models treated with chocolate-added cocoa or milk-sweetened coffee had expressively greater raise in body weight in contrast with controls, more so when served a high-fat diet. Fasting glucose level was greater in the three SSB-treated groups linked with the control group. Moreover, lipid drops in liver, fat cell size, and number of CD68-positive cells in adipose tissue were also higher in the SSB-treated groups. SSBs led to a surge in the appearance of genes related to inflammatory processes in the liver and adipose tissue. SSB groups had decreased phosphorylation of AKT and glycogen synthase kinase in muscle.

Daily intake of SSBs around a period of 3 months was therefore shown to result in metabolic impairment and weight gain and appears to have a role in the growth of metabolic diseases.

Source: Lee G, Han JH, Maeng HJ, Lim S. J Obes Metab Syndr. 2020 Feb 7.