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sugary drinks associated with a risk of congenital heart defects

Alcohol, seafood, raw meat… Pregnancy involves complying with various dietary restrictions. To limit the risk of gestational diabetes, sugar is also added to the list of foods to avoid. Especially sodas, that could be at the origin of congenital heart defects, reveals a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Restriction.

Danish researchers from the Institute Statens Serum Institut (Copenhagen, Danmark) asked 66,387 pregnant women about their eating habits during their second trimester of pregnancy. The objective was to study the association between the food glycemic index (GI) and the glycemic load (GL) with the consumption of sugary drinks and the risk of congenital heart defects for the offspring.

“Gestational diabetes, especially when it is severely disordered, is associated with an increased risk of congenital heart defects in the offspring. This suggests that glucose plays a role in the development of the embryonic heart ”, explain the scientists behind the work.

1.2 to 2.6% increased risk

Of the more than 65,000 future offspring studied, 543 of them presented with a congenital heart defect. High soda consumption has been associated with an increased risk of 1.2% to 2.6% in children with congenital heart defects. No association has been found with other types of drinks, the research says.

“The study does not support the association between high GI and GL in mid-pregnancy and an increased risk of congenital heart defects in the offspring. However, a statistically significant association between sugary soft drinks and a moderately increased risk of congenital heart defects in children has been observed, ”conclude the study authors.

In France, between 6,000 and 8,000 babies are born every year with a congenital heart defect, that is to say an anatomical abnormality in the heart or the pulmonary valve. While symptoms can vary widely from patient to patient, some deformities can be fatal soon after birth.

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