Limiting the consumption of carbonated beverages lowers the risk of health problems, according to a recent study.

Japanese researchers found that the bubbly drinks are associated with out-of-hospital cardiac arrests of cardiac origin, CBS News reported.

"Carbonated beverages, or sodas, have frequently been demonstrated to increase the risk of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease (CVD), such as subclinical cardiac remodeling and stroke. However, until now the association between drinking large amounts of carbonated beverages and fatal CVD, or out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) of cardiac origin, was unclear,
Professor Keijiro Saku, principal investigator of the study, said in a statement.

For the study, researchers collected and analyzed data from nearly 800,000 people in Japan. They compared in age-adjusted incidence of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests of cardiac origin to the consumption of various beverages per person between 2005 and 2011.

Researchers found that those who spent more money on carbonated beverages or soda were "more likely they were to suffer from heart attacks of cardiac origin outside of a hospital," The Washington Post reported.

Expenditures on carbonated beverages were significantly associated with fatal CVD, or out-of-hospital cardiac arrests of cardiac origin. Expenditures on other beverages, including green tea, black tea, coffee, cocoa, fruit or vegetable juice, fermented milk beverage, milk and mineral water were not significantly associated with OHCAs of cardiac origin, Newsmax reported.

"Carbonated beverage consumption was significantly and positively associated with OHCAs of cardiac origin in Japan, indicating that beverage habits may have an impact on fatal CVD," Saku said. "The acid in carbonated beverages might play an important role in this association."

The findings were presented Tuesday at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in London.