Sweetened beverages and atrial fibrillation

While studies have shown an association between sweetened beverages and several cardio-metabolic diseases, their link with atrial fibrillation remains to be clarified. In this study of 201,856 patients, free of atrial fibrillation at inclusion, researchers assessed the association between the risk of atrial fibrillation and the consumption of sweetened beverages, sweetened drinks and pure fruit juices. Participants were followed for an average of 9.9 years, and 9,362 cases of atrial fibrillation were recorded. Compared with non-consumers, those who consumed more than 2 liters per week of sweetened or sweetened beverages had an increased risk of atrial fibrillation. Consumption of less than one liter of pure fruit juice per week was associated with a reduced risk of atrial fibrillation.