Sugary Soda Consumption and Albuminuria: Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2004
2008

Sugary Soda Consumption and Kidney Health

Sample size: 9358 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Shoham David A., Durazo-Arvizu Ramon, Kramer Holly, Luke Amy, Vupputuri Suma, Kshirsagar Abhijit, Cooper Richard S.

Primary Institution: Loyola University Chicago

Hypothesis

Sugary soda consumption is associated with albuminuria, a sensitive marker for kidney disease.

Conclusion

Sugary soda consumption may be linked to kidney damage, especially in women and those with lower body weight.

Supporting Evidence

  • 11% of participants had albuminuria, and 17% consumed 2 or more sugary soft drinks per day.
  • The odds ratio for albuminuria associated with sugary soda consumption was 1.40 after adjusting for confounders.
  • Women showed a stronger association with an odds ratio of 1.86 compared to men.
  • Participants with a BMI under 25 kg/m2 had an odds ratio of 2.15 for albuminuria with high sugary soda consumption.

Takeaway

Drinking a lot of sugary sodas might hurt your kidneys, but having just one or none seems okay.

Methodology

Cross-sectional analysis using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999–2004.

Potential Biases

Potential underreporting of soda consumption, especially among obese individuals.

Limitations

The study is cross-sectional, limiting the ability to establish causation, and relies on self-reported dietary intake.

Participant Demographics

Participants were predominantly non-Hispanic White (55.6%), with 25.5% African-American and 33% Hispanic; mean age was 45.1 years.

Statistical Information

P-Value

0.008

Confidence Interval

1.13, 1.74

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pone.0003431

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