Not only are soda and sugary drinks linked to weight gain and cavities, but a new study suggests girls who consume sweet beverages can start their menstrual cycles earlier than other girls.
LiveScience reported that the study, published Wednesday in the journal Human Reproduction, used data from 5,583 girls ages 9 to 14, who had not yet started menstruation.
The young participants were asked a series of questions, including how often they drank sugary drinks such as soda and iced tea.
The data collected revealed that girls who drank more than a can of non-diet soda or other sugary drinks daily, got their first periods three months before girls who consumed less.
The New York Times noted that the study’s lead author, Karin B. Michels, an associate professor of epidemiology at Harvard, called the findings “robust” and said they are “not dependent on body mass index.”
Michels stressed that sugary drinks are not healthy and pointed to the study as another reason they should be avoided.