Reduction of body weight after replacement of sugary drinks with water

A study from Virginia Tech has modelled the effects of replacing one-sugar sweetened drink with water, regardless of the amount of sugary drinks one normally consumes. It is well known that the consumption of high-calorie sugary drinks such as soda and energy drinks can increase the risk of developing obesity and cardiovascular disease. The study showed that this drink swap reduced overall daily calories and the prevalence of obesity amongst sugary beverage drinking populations.

The modelling showed that on average, replacing a sugary drink with water reduced the number of calories consumed from drinks from 17% to 11%. The study authors used a scoring system known as the Healthy Beverage Index which is used to evaluate individual beverage patterns and their relation to diet and health. Higher scores are meant to correlate with better cholesterol levels and lower hypertension levels. The index was developed by the same authors of this study. Its overall aim is to help people identify what and how much they should be drinking. The authors are hoping to continue this research and assess the effects of diet drinks on health.