Link Between Fruit Juice, Sugary Drinks, and Hypertension Risk Identified

World 30.06.2026

Source: www.acc.org

A study published in Circulation finds that consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and fruit juice is linked to a higher risk of hypertension. The research involved 25,479 participants over a 25-year period.

A recent study published in the journal Circulation has identified a positive association between the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and fruit juice with an increased risk of hypertension. This finding was derived from the Growing Up Today Study (GUTS), which included 25,479 participants, predominantly white (96%) and female (55%), tracked over a period of 25 years.

The cohort was drawn from two enrollment waves, GUTS 1 and GUTS II, starting in 1996 and 2004, respectively. Participants, who were followed from childhood into adulthood, provided comprehensive lifestyle and dietary information through validated food frequency questionnaires every one to four years.

Researchers, led by Michelle Nguyen, PhD, utilized multivariable adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression models to assess the relationship between fructose intake from various sources and the incidence of hypertension. The study found that high intake levels of SSBs and fruit juice were significantly associated with a higher risk of developing hypertension, with hazard ratios of 1.52 and 1.35, respectively.

Interestingly, the study noted that total fructose intake did not show a significant association with hypertension, as indicated by the hazard ratio of 1.07. In contrast, the consumption of whole fruit was not linked to an increased risk of hypertension, and substituting one serving of SSB or fruit juice with whole fruit was associated with a significantly reduced risk.

Replacing a daily serving of SSB with whole fruit, milk, or water was linked to a 22%, 13%, and 9% lower risk of hypertension, respectively. Similarly, substituting fruit juice with whole fruit resulted in a 19% reduction in hypertension risk.

The study's authors highlight the ongoing debate regarding fruit juice and cardiometabolic risks, including hypertension. Despite this, the findings support public health recommendations aiming to limit SSB and fruit juice consumption from an early age to mitigate the risk of developing hypertension later in life.