This article is one of a series covering back pain — causes, symptoms, and the treatments we use at Back and Body Medical in Midtown Manhattan. For the complete overview, see the full guide:
→ Back Pain Treatment in New York City — The Complete Guide
You don’t have to go far to find a sugary drink in Manhatten. Every cafe, convenience store and restaurant serves them. Have a Coke with your meal, or just to drink while walking down the street, and nobody thinks anything of it. If you’re watching your weight, sugary drinks are the worst. Because they don’t fill you up, you think nothing of it and all the calories pile on. So even at the best of times, they’re not great. But what about if you’re pregnant?
There was a study published in the July 2017 edition of Pediatrics. It looked at the effects of expecting moms who drank sugary drinks while pregnant. Their study found that there was a relationship between drinking sugary beverages and the weight of their children later in life.
The study looked at 8 year old children who drank half a serving of a sugary drink once a week and then compared to a pregnant mom who had at least 2 servings of a sugary drink once a week during their 2nd trimester.
The study found that on average that the mother who had drank sugary drinks during that time had a child who was on average 2lbs heavier than those that didn’t.
While 2lbs hardly sounds a lot, when you consider the weight around that age, it could account for up to 5% of the total body weight of the child and thus is significant.
Not only does sugary drinks have this effect, but it can of course lead to obesity later in life.
They conclude by saying that expecting moms in particular should avoid sugary drinks as much as possible during pregnancy. Ultimately, we could all reduce our own intake and drink more water. It helps maintain a lower weight and is of course good for us.
In context of Back and Body, having a lower weight decreases the chances of back pain too.
If you have any questions on our treatment options in New York, please contact us, we would be happy to help you and see what we can do for you.
In pain? Want a tune up? Call us today (908) 325 – 3000. We can treat and help you.
Dr Shan Sivendra MD is the founder and medical director of Back and Body Medical in Midtown Manhattan. A board-certified medical doctor, certified acupuncturist, and Director of House Physicians at St. Barnabas Medical Center, Dr Sivendra has been practicing in New York since 1995.
He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Saint Barnabas Medical Center (affiliated with Mount Sinai School of Medicine) and received the Resident Research Award for three consecutive years.
Dr Sivendra has a background spanning internal medicine, pain management, and conservative spine rehabilitation, and was licensed in both the US and the UK.
At Back and Body Medical, he leads a multidisciplinary team of chiropractors, physical therapists, and acupuncturists dedicated to helping patients recover from pain without surgery or unnecessary medication.
Further Reading: Back Pain