Association between soft drink consumption and asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults in Australia

Respirology. 2012 Feb;17(2):363-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1843.2011.02115.x.

Abstract

Background and objective: The aim of this study was to examine the association between soft drink consumption and self-reported doctor-diagnosed asthma and COPD among adults living in South Australia.

Methods: Data were collected using a risk factor surveillance system. Each month a representative random sample of South Australians were selected from the electronic White Pages and interviews were conducted using computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI).

Results: Among 16 907 participants aged 16 years and older, 11.4% reported daily soft drink consumption of more than half a litre. High levels of soft drink consumption were positively associated with asthma and COPD. Overall, 13.3% of participants with asthma and 15.6% of those with COPD reported consuming more than half a litre of soft drink per day. By multivariate analysis, after adjusting for socio-demographic and lifestyle factors, the odds ratio (OR) for asthma was 1.26 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-1.58) and the OR for COPD was 1.79 (95% CI: 1.32-2.43), comparing those who consumed more than half a litre of soft drink per day with those who did not consume soft drinks.

Conclusions: There was a positive association between consumption of soft drinks and asthma/COPD among adults living in South Australia.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Asthma / epidemiology*
  • Asthma / etiology
  • Carbonated Beverages / adverse effects*
  • Carbonated Beverages / statistics & numerical data
  • Confidence Intervals
  • Drinking Behavior*
  • Feeding Behavior*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Food Preferences*
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Odds Ratio
  • Prevalence
  • Prognosis
  • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / epidemiology*
  • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / etiology
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Assessment / methods*
  • Risk Factors
  • South Australia / epidemiology
  • Young Adult