Abstract
Objectives
Regular consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) is associated with increased risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus and other obesity-related diseases. Evidence regarding the effect of 100% fruit juice on glycemic control is conflicting, with little research assessing the metabolic effects of SSBs versus 100% fruit juice, particularly in young, healthy individuals. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to determine whether there were differences in glycemic control outcomes following three weeks of added caffeine-free soda, 100% fruit juice, or water in healthy, young adults.
Methods
In a 3-arm randomized controlled trial, 36 participants (21.2 ± 2.8 yrs) consumed one of three beverages for three weeks: water (W), caffeine-free soda (S), or 100% fruit juice (FJ). At baseline and following the 3-week intervention, participants completed anthropometric (height, weight, waist circumference, body composition via dual energy x-ray absorptiometry) and glycemic control assessments (fasting glucose (mg/dL), fasting insulin (IU/mL), and a 2-hour glucose tolerance test (OGTT)). Following baseline assessments, participants consumed two servings/day (∼710 mL) of their randomized beverage for three weeks, along with their habitual diets. Insulin resistance was calculated using homeostatic model assessment (HOMA-IR). Differences between beverages for glycemic control outcomes were determined using ANOVA.
Results
Following the 3-week intervention, changes in fasting glucose were not significantly different between beverage conditions (W:4.70 ± 7.57%, S:5.46 ± 9.79%, FJ:4.93 ± 5.32%; P = 0.97), nor were changes in fasting insulin (W:25.77 ± 33.65%, S:15.71% ± 69.84%, FJ:25.86 ± 54.92%; P = 0.88). Changes in HOMA-IR were not different between beverage conditions (P = 0.96) and similarly, 2-hour OGTT revealed no differences between beverage conditions for glucose (P = 0.82) or insulin incremental area under the curve (P = 0.44).
Conclusions
In healthy, young adults, under free-living conditions, there were no differences in glycemic control outcomes when adding two servings of SSBs as compared to 100% fruit juice for three weeks. Longer-term trials are needed to elucidate the potential differential glycemic control responses to SSBs versus 100% fruit juice.
Funding Sources
N/A.
Replacement of Sugar‐Sweetened Beverages with Water and its Impact on Insulin Sensitivity Among Overweight Adolescents and Young Adults