You may try to lead a healthy lifestyle, but there are still habits you may engage in that can have a devastating impact on your health.
Here, learn about three such habits.
1. The Risks of Drinking Soda
You probably know that soda is not a healthy beverage, but did you know that drinking it could lead to a variety of chronic health conditions, including diabetes and heart disease?
Research has shown that soda consumption is risky for your health.
A study published in a 2012 edition of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that both men and women who consumed one or more sodas per day had higher rates of high blood pressure and high cholesterol than those who did not consume any soda. (1)
Women in the study were significantly more likely to suffer from strokes if they consumed soda.
A study published in a 2012 edition of Circulation found that men who consumed the most sugar-sweetened beverages, such as soda, were 20 % more likely to develop heart disease than men who drank the fewest sugar-sweetened beverages.(2)
Yet another study, published in 2013 in the American Journal of Public Health, analyzed soda consumption in 75 countries and found that drinking soda was associated with obesity and diabetes across the globe.(3)
A study published in Diabetes Care in 2010 found that people who consumed a high number of sugary beverages, like soda and fruit juice, were 26 % more likely to develop diabetes than those who consumed fewer of these drinks.(4)
These health risks associated with the consumption of soda may be linked to the high fructose corn syrup content of soda.
A study published in 2010 in Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior found that rats who consumed high fructose corn syrup gained weight, and their body fat and triglycerides levels increased.(5)
The results of these studies show that soda can have a negative impact on your health, which is not surprising given the poor nutritional content in most sodas.
For instance, a 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola contains 140 calories, 39 grams of sugar, and no essential nutrients. For the sake of your health, you should limit your consumption of soda.
2. The Health Dangers of a Sedentary Lifestyle
Spending too much time sitting in front of your television set could literally be killing you.
A study published in a 2012 edition of the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that those who watched six or more hours of television per day shortened their life expectancy by nearly five years when compared to those who watched no television.(6)
Additional research has shown that living a sedentary lifestyle can be dangerous for your health, and being sedentary is linked to various poor health outcomes.
A study published in 2012 in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, & Metabolism found that adults who were physically inactive were 21% more likely to develop breast cancer and 74 % more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than adults who were physically active.(7)
This study found that 15 % to 39 % of various chronic diseases were the result of physical inactivity. Among men in the study, 26 % of coronary artery disease was attributable to physical inactivity, and physical inactivity was culpable for 27 % of coronary artery disease among women.
A study published in a 2013 edition of the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition & Physical Activity studied the relationship between sitting and chronic disease among middle-aged men. (8)
The study found that men who spent more than four hours per day sitting were significantly more likely, than men who sat for fewer than four hours per day, to suffer from a chronic disease during their lifetimes.
Specifically, those who sat for more than six hours per day were more likely, than those who sat for fewer than four hours per day, to have diabetes.
It appears that spending too much time sitting can be risky for your health!
3. The Negative Impact of Skimping on Sleep
Getting too little sleep can have a negative impact on your well-being, especially in terms of cardiovascular health.
A study published in 2012 in the American Journal of Hypertension found that sleeping for fewer than seven hours per day was associated with higher blood pressure, even after adjusting for factors such as demographics and behavioral characteristics.(9)
Another study published in 2009 in the journal PLoS ONE found that five nights of sleep deprivation resulted in an increased heart rate and higher levels of inflammation among study participants. (10)
The authors of the study concluded that over the long run, sleep deprivation could lead to an increased risk of heart disease.
The authors of a study published in 2008 in the Journal of the American Medical Association analyzed the sleep habits of healthy adults, and their findings were frightening.(11)
After just five years, study participants who slept for fewer than five hours per night were more likely than those who slept for more than five hours each night to develop dangerous calcium deposits in their arteries.
A lack of sleep can also harm cognitive health. The author of a 2010 report published in Progress in Brain Research advised that too little sleep reduces attention and alertness and leads to slowed responses.(12)
The authors of a 2007 study published in the Journal of Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment reported that sleep deprivation creates impairments in memory, attention, and decision-making.(13)
The research indicates that sleeping too little can have an adverse impact on overall health.
To avoid disease, finish your day off with an adequate night of sleep, and be sure to also engage in regular exercise and to avoid sugary sodas.
Researches and references
(1)http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/early/2012/04/03/ajcn.111.030205
(2)http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/early/2012/03/09/CIRCULATIONAHA.111.067017
(3)http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/abs/10.2105/AJPH.2012.300974
(4)http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/33/11/2477.full
(5)http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20219526
(6)http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23007179
(7)http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4241367/
(8)http://www.ijbnpa.org/content/10/1/20
(9)http://ajh.oxfordjournals.org/content/25/7/764.abstract?sid=84b5f85a-2e2f-4f06-962f-6941a814c7ff
(10)http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0004589
(11)http://www.jsonline.com/news/health/36650319.html
(12)http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21075236
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