The study team examined data on more than 70,000 post-menopausal women. Among those who slurped 12-ounces of soda (or more) daily, the risk of fracturing a hip rose roughly 14% compared to people who don’t drink pop, according to the study. That was true whether a woman enjoyed diet, regular, or caffeine-free soda. Flavor also played no part in things: Whether you’re into colas or lemon-lime sodas, the more you drink, the more likely you are to suffer a hip fracture, the study concludes. The results also didn’t change regardless of a woman’s body mass index or diabetes status. MORE: 7 Gross Side Effects of Diet Soda Despite these findings, it’s not clear just what it is about soda that could explain the higher rates of hip fractures. The study team looked at soda ingredients like sugar, acids, caffeine, and phosphorous, but found no patterns that would clarify the soda-hip fracture connection, explains study coauthor Teresa Fung, ScD, an associate professor of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. (Get your sugar cravings under control and lose weight while still enjoying the sweets you love with Sugar Smart Express.) It’s possible that several of the ingredients lurking in your soda can could—in combination—result in weaker bones, she and her colleagues say. It’s also possible that carbonation may somehow play a role. But while science can’t give you a hard-and-fast answer today, the study data spans more than 30 years and are based off of a large population of women. Bottom-line, soda probably isn’t doing your hips (or the rest of your skeleton) any favors. “Soda has no nutritional value,” Fung says, bluntly. “There is no need to drink it.” But it’s delicious! you shout. That may be true. And if you only have a soda every once in a while—say, once or twice a month—you probably have no reason to worry, Fung says. On the other hand, if you knock back a soda every day (or most days), this is one more reason to change up your habits. “I would recommend minimal to no soda consumption,” Fung adds. MORE: 25 Sassy Water Recipes To Help You De-Bloat
