[Soft-drinks and health].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze published papers about soft drinks use, and to describe possible health benefits, risks, and damages related to soft drink consumption. INFORMATION SOURCE: A search was done in the MEDLINE compact disks, from January 1970 to January 1997, with the keywords soft drink, beverages, carbonated beverages, cola, Coca-Cola and sweetening-agents.


METHODS
Ninety nine papers reporting health-related damages or benefits in clinical or experimental studies were reviewed.


METHODS
All articles with a clear description of at least one beneficial or harmful effect related to soft drink consumption were considered.


RESULTS
There were reports on 25 harmful effects and of 7 possibly beneficial effects. Data are classified in prophylactic and therapeutic uses, dental caries and other dental disorders, mineral metabolism disorders, acid-peptic disease, neoplasm, risk factors for cardiovascular disease, effects on central nervous system, reproduction, allergy, and miscellaneous.


CONCLUSIONS
High prevalence of exposure and excessive consumption of soft drinks may represent a public health problem in Mexico. Data analysis shows that soft drink consumption may not be as harmless as generally believed. Many of the reports are anecdotal, without a suitable methodological design. A wide field for research is present in this area.
Amato
D
D
Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Nefrológicas, Hospital de Especialidades Dr Bernardo Sepúlveda G, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, IMSS, México, D.F.
Maravilla
A
A
García-Contreras
F
F
Paniagua
R
R
D002110:Caffeine / Q000009:adverse effects; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000009:adverse effects; D002253:Carbonated Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D005506:Food Contamination; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D008800:Mexico; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D010756:Phosphoric Acids / Q000009:adverse effects; D015995:Prevalence; D011634:Public Health; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013395:Sucrose / Q000009:adverse effects; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000009:adverse effects
D010756:Phosphoric Acids; D013549:Sweetening Agents; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002110:Caffeine; D013395:Sucrose; C030242:phosphoric acid
Los refrescos y la salud.