Just 2 cans of Coke a week is enough to undo the benefits of any exercise, scientists warn

JUST two cans of fizzy pop a week is enough to undo the benefits of any exercise on cardiovascular disease, warns a new study.

Researchers found that physical activity can’t cancel out the risks of cardiovascular disease, the world’s biggest killer, caused by sugar-sweetened drinks.

The Canadian team studied around 100,000 adults – split into two groups – for about 30 years.

They found that those who consumed sugar-sweetened beverages, like Coca Cola, more than twice a week had a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, regardless of physical activity levels.

Cardiovascular disease is general term for disease affecting the heart and blood vessels and includes conditions like coronary heart disease, strokes and peripheral arterial disease.

The study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, shows that even the recommended 150 minutes of weekly physical activity fails to protect against the effects.

Professor Jean-Philippe Drouin-Chartier, of Université Laval’s Faculty of Pharmacy, said: “Physical activity reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease associated with sugar-sweetened beverages by half, but it does not fully eliminate it.

“The marketing strategies for these drinks often show active people drinking these beverages.

“It suggests that sugary drink consumption has no negative effects on health if you’re physically active.”

The research team specifically looked at consumption of these drinks twice a week.

Though this amount was relatively low, it was still significantly associated with cardiovascular disease risk.

More frequent consumption, such as drinking fizzy pop daily, was seen to have even higher risks.

Artificially sweetened drinks were not associated with any increased risk in cardiovascular disease suggesting that they are a safer alternative.

Professor Drouin-Chartier said: “Replacing sugar-sweetened beverages by diet drinks is good, because it reduces the amount of sugar.

“But the best drink option remains water.”

The team hope that their findings will encourage people to steer clear of sugar-sweetened beverages such as soft and carbonated drinks, lemonade, and fruit cocktails.

Lead author and research scientist Lorena Pacheco added: “Our findings provide further support for public health recommendations and policies to limit people’s intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, as well as to encourage people to meet and maintain adequate physical activity levels.”

It follows warnings that just one can of fizzy drink per day could increase a woman’s risk of liver cancer.

Another study found that adults with type 2 diabetes who sipped on more than one can of soda a day were were more likely to die of heart disease.