Sugary beverage intake and genetic risk in relation to brain structure and incident dementia: evidence from the UK Biobank

Abstract IntroductionThis study investigated the relation of sugary beverage (SB) intake to brain structure and dementia risk.MethodsAmong 187,994 UK Biobank participants, intake of SBs (one unit=250 mL) and specific subtypes was assessed using repeated 24-hr dietary recalls. Multivariable-adjusted hazard rations (HR) was estimated for incident dementia identified through medical records and death registries.ResultsDuring 1,790,996 person-years, 1,351 dementia cases were identified. Higher intake (>2 units/d v. none) of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) (HR=1.47, 95%CI: 1.13~1.92) and artificially-sweetened beverages (ASB) (HR=1.41, 1.00~1.99) was associated with an elevated dementia risk. Conversely, moderate intake of natural sweet juices (NSJ) (>0 and <=1 unit/d v. none) was related to a decreased risk (HR=0.80, 0.71~0.90). The associations were consistent with related brain structural markers and modified by genetic risks (P-interaction<0.002).DiscussionThese findings underscored that SSB and ASB could be risk factors of dementia, while moderate NSJ intake could potentially reduce dementia risk.