Physically active teens less affected by moderate consumption of sugary drinks

A new study has indicated that physically active teens are less affected by the moderate consumption of sugary drinks.

Researchers at University of Missouri (MU) have found that short-term, moderate consumption of high-fructose and high-glucose beverages has little impact on the metabolic health of weight-stable, physically active adolescents.

Jill Kanaley, professor and associate chair in the MU Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, said that these beverages may not be as unhealthy for adolescents as previously thought, provided that kids stay active and that physical activity component is really critical in protecting against some of the negative effects of drinking large amounts of sugar-sweetened drinks demonstrated in previous studies.

Kanaley said that many parents of adolescents worry about their children's consumption of sweetened beverages and he certainly would recommend that they work to reduce their children's intake of sugary drinks, but it also is important for kids to remain active, especially if they are drinking a lot of sugary beverages.

The study is published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.