Nutrition

Nutritional Pearls: A Single Soft Drink Per Day Increases Mortality Risk

  • AUTHOR:

    Timothy S. Harlan, MD

     

    A 42-year-old man with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 is beginning to struggle with several lifestyle changes he made recently in an attempt to get healthier. He is finding it particularly hard to quit his previous habit of drinking 2 sugar-sweetened sodas in the afternoon. Rather than giving them up completely, he asks if it would still be "healthier" to switch to diet sodas instead.

    How do you advise your patient?

    (Answer and discussion on next page)