Cohort studycited by the Tayebat archiveabstract only checked A-SOD-15 standard review
Sugary drinks and heart disease in women
Sweetened beverage consumption and risk of coronary heart disease in women.
Overview
Fung TT et al.. Am J Clin Nutr 2009 · PMID 19211821 · DOI 10.3945/ajcn.2008.27140
Two or more sugary drinks a day: 35% higher heart disease risk; diet drinks not linked.
Does the study support the specific claim? Yes · Methodological quality: high
Plain-language summary
Study explained simply
- What did the researchers want to find out?
Is SSB consumption associated with CHD in women?
- How was the study done?
Prospective cohort (NHS) 1980-2004.
- How many people, animals or samples were studied?
88,520; 3,105 CHD cases; Women aged 34-59 without CHD, stroke, diabetes
- What was actually found?
RRs 1.0, 0.96, 1.04, 1.23 (1.06-1.43) for 1/d and 1.35 (1.07-1.69) for >=2/d (P trend <0.001); attenuated but significant after BMI, energy and diabetes adjustment; ASB not associated.
- How large was the observed effect?
RR 1.35 (1.07-1.69)
- What do the results mean in everyday life?
Sugary drinks linked to heart disease.
- What are the study's limitations?
Observational design; residual confounding possible; Self-reported dietary intake
- What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?
- Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?
High.
- What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?
Causation.
Scientific in-depth review
1. Full reference
- Authors
- Fung TT, Malik V, Rexrode KM, Manson JE, Willett WC, Hu FB
- Journal
- Am J Clin Nutr
- Year
- 2009
- Identifier
- PMID 19211821 DOI 10.3945/ajcn.2008.27140 · PMC2667454
- Verification
- verified – PubMed E-utilities efetch, 2026-10-25
- Retracted
- no
- Corrections
- none
- Extent checked
- abstract only
- Conflicts of interest and funding
No COI statement; NIH grants
2. Research question
Is SSB consumption associated with CHD in women?
3. Study design and population
- Study design
- Cohort study – Prospective cohort (NHS) 1980-2004.
- Population
Women aged 34-59 without CHD, stroke, diabetes
- Country
USA
- Period
1980-2004
- Sample size
88,520; 3,105 CHD cases
- Inclusion and exclusion criteria
Free of CHD, stroke, diabetes
4. Methods and endpoints
- Exposure / intervention
Cumulative SSB intake categories
- Comparator
<1/month
- Endpoints
Non-fatal MI and fatal CHD
- Statistical methods
Cox models
5. Actual results
- Results
RRs 1.0, 0.96, 1.04, 1.23 (1.06-1.43) for 1/d and 1.35 (1.07-1.69) for >=2/d (P trend <0.001); attenuated but significant after BMI, energy and diabetes adjustment; ASB not associated.
- Absolute risks
not reported
- Authors' conclusion
Regular SSB consumption associated with higher CHD risk in women.
6. Strengths
- Very long follow-up
- Repeated FFQs
7. Weaknesses
- Observational design; residual confounding possible
- Self-reported dietary intake
8. Risk of bias
- Orienting tool
- ROBINS-E
- Type of assessment
- simplified assessment (abstract only)
- Full formal assessment
- no
- Overall risk of bias
- some concerns
- Rationale
Confounding possible.
9. Assessment of the statistical interpretation
Moderate RR, wide CI at top category.
10. Relevance to the specific claim
Supports C-SOD-03; contradicts C-SOD-10.
11. Independent contrary findings
ASB null.
12. Transferability to Germany and Europe
High.
13. Overall methodological judgement
Good cohort.
| Multidimensional assessment | |
|---|---|
| Authenticity of the source | verified |
| Methodological quality | high |
| Risk of bias | some concerns |
| Precision of results | moderate |
| Directness | direct |
| Reproducibility | replicated |
| Consistency with the overall evidence | consistent |
| Regional transferability | high |
| Adequacy of the interpretation (by the archive) | essentially correct but incomplete |
14. Open questions
None.
15. Linked fact checks
- Sugar-sweetened soft drinks raise the risk of coronary heart disease, cardiovascular death and early death (e.g., two or more daily servings: +35% coronary heart disease in women; +31% cardiovascular and +21% total mortality). – Studies supporting the claim
- Diet soda is not a safe alternative to sugary soda: artificially sweetened drinks are linked to higher mortality, especially circulatory deaths. – Studies contradicting or limiting the claim
Use by the Tayebat archive
Note: according to the archive, the studies were compiled by the archive operators. Whether Dr. Elawady himself cited this study is not established.
- What the archive says about the study
(Narrative) 24-year follow-up of 88,000 nurses: two or more servings per day raised CHD risk by 35%.
- A. What was actually studied?
SSB and CHD in women.
- B. What did the authors find?
RR 1.35 for >=2/d; ASB not associated.
- C. What conclusions do the authors themselves draw?
As above.
- D. What does the archive derive from it?
Causal 'raised'.
- E. Is this derivation scientifically justified?
Number correct; ASB null result omitted.
- Adequacy of the interpretation (by the archive)
- essentially correct but incomplete