The Framingham Heart Study has linked daily sugary beverage consumption to increased visceral fat. People who consume sugar-sweetened beverages like soda regularly could be at risk of 27% increase in visceral adipose tissue over time, the study published Monday in journal Circulation warned.

A number of previous studies have found association between obesity and sugar-sweetened beverages, said Dr. Caroline S. Fox, lead author of the new study and former investigator at the Framingham Heart Study of the National Heart. The study considered body fat distribution, the researcher added.

Study researchers compiled data from approximately one thousand adult individuals in the Framingham Heart Study in Framingham. The participants were asked some food frequency questions about sugar-sweetened beverages and diet soda. According to Fox, the study found that all the participants were gaining visceral fat over time, but individuals who were consuming sugar-sweetened beverages everyday were gaining more.

Sugary beverages such as fruit punch and soda have sucrose or high fructose corn syrup in large amount. Most of the study participants admitted that they consume a mixture of sugary beverages and diet soda. About 30% said they never drank sugar-sweetened beverages, while 20% said they consumed the drink occasionally. About one-third said they consume sugary beverages frequently, while 13% were consuming the beverages daily.

At the beginning of the study, the participants underwent a computed tomography scan where the researchers measure quantity of abdominal fat tissue. They underwent another scan after 72 months.

The researchers noted that over the period, visceral fat volume in non-drinkers increased by about 658 cubic centimeters, while daily drinkers’ volume of sugary beverages increased by 852 cubic centimeters. In addition, for daily sugary beverage drinkers, the increase was of 0.8 kilograms of abdominal fat, as per the study.