Sugar-sweetened sodas, sports drinks and fruit drinks may be associated with about 180,000 deaths around the world each year, according to a research.

The study presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism 2013 Scientific Sessions pointed pit that sugar-sweetened beverages contribute to excess body weight, which increases the risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and some cancers.

The data collected as part of the 2010 Global Burden of Diseases Study.

Researchers linked intake of sugar- sweetened beverages to 133,000 diabetes deaths, 44,000 deaths from cardiovascular diseases and 6,000 cancer deaths.

Seventy-eight percent of these deaths due to over-consuming sugary drinks were in low and middle-income countries, rather than high-income countries.

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Post workout meal should help you refuel and recover, not pile on more fat. Here’s a list of what not to eat, post workout!

An intense workout always makes you feel great. But your first thought post workout is food! A right diet, being psychologically motivated and a regular physical activity is a must in your quest to lose weight. However, you might be surprised to learn that certain combinations of foods eaten post workout can actually sabotage your entire weight loss campaign!

Sweetened drinks and soda

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Sugar-free fizzy drinks are no more likely to make you eat junk food than water, researchers have claimed.

Previously, a number of studies had claimed that artificial sweeteners in diet drinks wreaked havoc with hormones and made people feel hungry and crave sweet and fatty foods.

It was believed that artificial sweeteners, due to their intense sweetness, disrupted hunger hormones and encouraged people to eat sweet food.

The study from the University of North Carolina followed 318 overweight and obese adults, who drank at least 280 calories worth of drinks each day, the Daily Mail reported.

One third of the participants substituted two daily servings of sugary drinks with water and another third substituted it with diet drinks, including Diet Coke.

After six months, they reported their food and drink intake over that period.

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High level of soft drink consumption may make a person more vulnerable to asthma and, or, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a new study has revealed.

Led by Zumin Shi, MD, PhD, of the University of Adelaide, researchers conducted computer assisted telephone interviewing among 16,907 participants aged 16 years and older in South Australia between March 2008 and June 2010 inquiring about soft drink consumption.

Soft drinks comprised Coke, lemonade, flavored mineral water, Powerade, and Gatorade etc.

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Soft drinks, colas, sodas and other aerated drinks provide `empty` calories; even juices, unless made from fresh fruit and prepared without additives come in this category. Avoid them to prevent weight gain.