# The effects of orange juice compared with sugar-sweetened beverage on risk factors and metabolic processes associated with the development of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS · 2020 · $47,946

## Abstract

Project Summary:
Recent evidence from epidemiological studies and dietary intervention studies suggest that consumption of
added sugar/sugar-sweetened beverage increases risk for chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease
(CVD), type 2 diabetes (T2D), metabolic syndrome and gout. As a result, soda consumption has decreased in
this country, and new dietary guidelines and FDA food labeling requirements have been enacted to promote
greater reductions in added sugar consumption. However, there are gaps in knowledge regarding the effect of
other sugar-containing foods, particularly those of 100% fruit juice, that have led to public confusion about
healthier options for soda, and impede progress in implementing public health policies that will promote greater
reductions in sugar consumption. The amount of sugar in fruit juice is comparable to the amount in soda.
Because of this, some experts believe that the effects of consuming fruit juice are as detrimental, or even
worse, than those of soda. However, in contrast to soda, fruit juice contains micronutrients and bioactives that
may mitigate the effects of sugar and promote health. Therefore, some scientist believe that fruit juice is a
healthier choice than soda. The epidemiological evidence is conflicting, and the results from the limited number
of clinical dietary intervention studies that have directly compared the metabolic effects of consuming fruit juice
with sugar-sweetened beverage are inconclusive. The objectives of this proposal are to address the gap in
knowledge regarding the metabolic effects of consuming orange juice compared with sugar-sweetened
beverage. We propose to compare the weight-independent effects of consuming 25% energy requirement as
carbohydrate from orange juice or sucrose-sweetened beverages (SBB) for 4 weeks on risk factors and
metabolic processes associated with the development of CVD and T2D in normal weight and overweight men
and women. We also propose to measure urinary levels of the metabolites and catabolites of the two main
flavanones in orange juice and relate these levels to changes in the risk factors and metabolic processes. We
hypothesize that consumption of orange juice will have less detrimental effects than SSB on circulating
concentrations of lipid/lipoprotein risk factors and uric acid, and on hepatic conversion of sugar to fat (de novo
lipogenesis) and hepatic fat accumulation. Weight-maintaining, low sugar diets that contain 50% energy as
complex carbohydrate will be provided during the 2-week baseline period, and matched diets that contain 25%
energy as complex carbohydrate and 25% energy as carbohydrate from orange juice or sucrose-SB will be
provided during the 4-week intervention period. Experimental procedures will be conducted during baseline
and during the final 2 weeks of study. The results from this study, whether supportive or unsupportive of our
hypotheses, will assist consumers in making informed beverage choices and aid efforts to est...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10114837
- **Project number:** 3R01HL137716-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS
- **Principal Investigator:** Kimber Lee Stanhope
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $47,946
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2023-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10114837

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10114837, The effects of orange juice compared with sugar-sweetened beverage on risk factors and metabolic processes associated with the development of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes (3R01HL137716-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10114837. Licensed CC0.

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