Sugary drinks can increase your risk for diabetes, according to a new study.

Researchers at Tufts University found that adults who drink sugary beverages regularly have a 46 percent higher risk of developing pre-diabetes compared to those who avoid or rarely consume them.

The researchers analyzed information from the Framingham Heart Study's Offspring Cohort, a program that monitors multiple generations for factors that contribute to cardiovascular disease.

Data on more than 1,600 middle-aged people over a 14-year period was studied.

Researchers found that higher intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, defined as colas and other carbonated beverages, along with fruit drinks like lemonade and fruit punch, was associated with increased insulin resistance, a risk factor for Type 2 diabetes.

People who drank a median of six 12-ounce drinks per week had insulin-resistance scores roughly eight-percent higher than low or non-consumers.

Prediabetes, if diagnosed early, is reversible through lifestyle changes like diet and exercise.