The authors of the research, Elissa Epel, Ph.D. and Cindy Leung, Ph.D. decided to test the effects of sugared soda on the aging process. The researchers tested a group of people who consumed 12-20 ounces of soda or more on a daily basis, and measured the length of their telomere (the ends of chromosomes, which protect them from deterioration) and found that when compared to the control group, their telomere were significantly shorter. A short telomere is a good indicator of upcoming disease onset and has been linked to the development of cancer and cellular aging.