Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity (May 2021)

Diet Sugar-Free Carbonated Soda Beverage, Non-Caloric Flavors Consumption, and Diabetic Retinopathy: Any Linkage

  • Mirghani H,
  • Alali N,
  • Albalawi H,
  • ALselaimy R

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 14
pp. 2309 – 2315

Abstract

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Hyder Mirghani,1 Naif Alali,1,2 Hani Albalawi,2 Ruba ALselaimy3 1Internal Medicine and Endocrine, Medical Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 2Ophthalmology Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 3Ophthalmology Department, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Hyder MirghaniFaculty of Medicine, University of Tabuk, PO Box 3378, Tabuk, 51941, Saudi ArabiaTel +966569344569Email [email protected]: Assessing diabetic retinopathy (DR) risk factors and daily nutrition habits are vital for prevention. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between diet soda cans, non-nutritive sweetener consumption, and diabetic retinopathy.Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 patients attending a diabetes center in Tabuk City, Saudi Arabia, from September 2019 to July 2020. A structured questionnaire was used to collect patients’ demographic factors, and DR risk factors including the use of diet soda, non-nutritive sweeteners, and exercise habits. Dilated fundus eye examination was done to detect any diabetic retinopathy. A blood sample was taken for measuring glycated hemoglobin to assess the degree of glycemic control.Results: The participant’s age was  50.74 ± 13.51 years, and the duration since the diagnosis of diabetes was 9.99 ± 6.97 years, body mass index was 27.28 ± 4.68, and HbA1c %, 8.50 ± 1.61), the patients used to consume 1.31 ± 1.57 diet soda cans/week, and 1.06± 1.39 artificial sweeteners/sachet/day. DR was found in 33%. Diet sugar-free carbonated soda beverage was associated with poor glycemic control and retinopathy, while non-caloric flavor consumption was associated with obesity (P-value< 0.05). No association was evident regarding other factors (P-value> 0.05).Conclusion: Diet sugar-free carbonated soda beverage was associated with higher HbA1c and retinopathy, while non-caloric flavor consumption was associated with obesity. No association was evident regarding other factors. Further larger multicenter studies are needed.Keywords: non-caloric flavors, carbonated soda beverage, diabetic retinopathy

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