Numerous previous studies have found a direct and positive association between the consumption of sodas and sugar-sweetened beverages with the risks of diabetes and pre-diabetes.  Vasanti Malik, from Harvard School of Public Health (Massachusetts, USA), and colleagues completed a meta-analysis that pooled 11 studies, involving over 300,000 subjects, examining the association between sugar-sweetened beverages and Type-2 diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome.   The team found that drinking one to two sugary drinks per day increased the risk of type 2 diabetes by 26% and the risk of metabolic syndrome by 20%, as compared with those who consumed less than one sugary drink per month. Drinking one 12-ounce serving per day increased the risk of type 2 diabetes by about 15%. Explaining that: “In addition to weight gain, higher consumption of [sugar-sweetened beverages] is associated with development of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes,” the researchers urge that: “These data provide empirical evidence that intake of [sugar-sweetened beverages ]should be limited to reduce obesity-related risk of chronic metabolic diseases.”

 Vasanti S. Malik, Barry M. Popkin, George A. Bray, Jean-Pierre Despres, Walter C. Willett, Frank B. Hu.  “Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Risk of Metabolic Syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes: A meta-analysis.”  Diabetes Care, November 2010, 33:2477-2483; doi:10.2337/dc10-1079.