People who consume soft drinks regularly have a greater genetic susceptibility to obesity and to have a high Body Mass Index (BMI), according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine . The study reinforces the idea that genetic and environmental factors can interact and produce an increased risk of obesity.
The researchers, from Harvard University (USA), analyzed the data of more than 30,000 people of European descent and whose genotype was available in a database. The participants were divided into four groups according to their consumption of sugary drinks: less than one drink a month, between one and four a month, between two and six a week, and one or more a day . The results revealed that, in people belonging to the latter group, the genetic effect on BMI and the risk of obesity was approximately double that in people who consumed less than one drink per month. This suggests that regular consumption of these types of beverages can amplify the genetic risk of obesity. "And this also means that the genetic predisposition to obesity can also be 'corrected' if we consume healthier food and drink," says Frank Hu, one of the authors of the research.
