- A new study estimates the global health impacts of drinking sugar-sweetened drinks.
- According to an analysis of 184 countries, 2.2 million new cases of type 2 diabetes were attributed to these drinks in 2020.
- Similarly, the researchers attributed 1.2 million cases of cardiovascular disease to sugar-sweetened beverages.
A new study published January 6 in Nature Medicine charts the metabolic and cardiovascular complications associated with sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs).
The researchers found nearly 1 in 10 new cases of type 2 diabetes, and more than 3% of cardiovascular disease cases could be traced back to sugary drinks.
Latin America, the Caribbean, and sub-Saharan Africa were the most affected regions.
Beyond their staggering analysis, the authors also dig into the social and political issues that underpin the harm caused by sugar-sweetened beverages.
More than 300,000 global deaths from soda
The scientists involved in the current study had access to huge quantities of data, including dietary information from almost 3 million people.
They found that, on average, people consume 2.6 8-ounce (248-gram) servings of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) per week. This varied by region from 0.2 per week in India, China, and Bangladesh to 17.4 in Colombia.
Intake varied by other demographics. Overall, sugar-sweetened beverage intake was higher among males versus females and younger versus older adults.
Higher education also played a role but varied geographically. Higher education levels correlated with greater SSB intake in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. However, higher education was associated with lower SSB intake in the Middle East and North Africa.
When the researchers investigated the links to disease, they found that, in 2020, 2.2 million new cases of type 2 diabetes and 1.2 million cases of cardiovascular disease were attributable to drinking SSBs.
The scientists also estimated that the drinks were linked to 80,278 deaths from type 2 diabetes and 257,962 deaths from cardiovascular disease.
“It is evident there continues to be a highly alarming global burden of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease attributable to SSBs,” Lucy McCann, MD, registered associate nutritionist and clinical academic researcher, told Healthline. McCann wasn’t involved in the study.
“In addition to the serious health consequences SSBs are causing for individuals, they are also putting a vast strain on healthcare systems globally. The impact on healthcare systems cannot be overstated,” she noted.
Among larger nations, the largest increases in SSB-related type 2 diabetes cases per 1 million adults were seen in:
- Colombia
- United States
- Argentina
- Myanmar
- Thailand
For SSB-related cardiovascular disease, the greatest increases in cases per 1 million adults were seen in:
- Nigeria
- Russia
- Colombia
- Thailand
McCann explained that the countries most affected by SSBs are “less well equipped to cope with the longer-term health costs associated with managing these conditions.”
For instance, in sub-Saharan Africa, more than 1 in 5 (21.5%) new cases of type 2 diabetes are attributable to SSBs. “This is a shocking amount,” McCann said, “particularly when compared with the considerably lower numbers only a few decades ago.”
“A key driver of these increases is likely the commercial interests with lack of policy opposition. We are seeing these same patterns occurring all over the world,” she explained.
Soda is an ultra-processed food
Currently, ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are under heavy scrutiny, and for good reason — a myriad of studies have linked them to poorer health, including type 2 diabetes, obesity, and depression.
Recently, the picture has become more complex. UPFs come in a wide range of forms — from bread to jelly beans and protein powders to soda — and not all types are equally bad for health.
Researchers are now drilling down into the categories of UPFs to understand which are the worst offenders when it comes to health.
For instance, a recent Lancet study from November 2024 looked at UPF consumption and type 2 diabetes. The authors found that not all categories were linked to an increased risk, but one of the worst offenders was SSBs.
By now, the evidence of a link between SSBs and type 2 diabetes is overwhelming. However, there is less information about how many people’s health has been affected, globally. The latest study helps fill this gap.
According to the new study, humans consume more than two servings of SSBs each week on average, making these beverages incredibly profitable. This also means that predatory marketing tactics are widespread.
In their paper, the authors explain that SSB intake has leveled off in high-income countries. To ensure beverage companies continue to profit, they have turned to developing countries, which explains why the health impacts in those regions are rising sharply.
They also write that, although some of these countries have implemented a sugar tax, the beverage companies simply pump more money into their advertising “to offset negative effects on sales.”
Beyond the impact on metabolic conditions, drink manufacturers also cause harm in other ways, as the authors outline here: “Clean water scarcity and commercial interests can go hand in hand: In one Mexican town, water scarcity was partly attributable to water concessions for soda companies.”
Healthy swaps for sugar-sweetened beverages
It is beyond doubt that sugary drinks are linked to poorer health outcomes.
“There is really no benefit to drinking sugary drinks,” Maddie Gallivan, a registered dietitian not involved in the study, told Healthline.
“The amount of sugar they provide in one go (not to mention artificial additives) can have knock-on effects to your eating and drinking for the rest of the day,” she said.
According to Gallivan, they can also cause sharp spikes in blood sugar, “likely followed by an energy crash that leaves you feeling lethargic and craving more ultra-processed, sugary foods.”
“Swapping sugary drinks for healthier options like fruit-infused water, herbal teas, or kombucha (look for low-sugar varieties) can make a real difference to your sugar intake while offering added benefits like probiotics and polyphenols,” Gallivan advised.
“This study is a reminder of how simple dietary changes can have a powerful impact on improving your overall health and lowering your risk of disease,” she concluded.
Health risks of artificial sweeteners
Some soda brands have already significantly reduced their sugar content in some regions. However, they have replaced sugar with sweeteners like sucralose and saccharine.
Although artificial or so-called non-nutritive sweeteners were once thought to be inert — traveling through our gut without impacting us — this may not be true.
Recently, a number of studies and reviews have been published, concluding that non-nutritive artificial sweeteners are not chemically inactive and may influence the gut microbiome.
A recent study found that sucralose, in particular, was linked to DNA damage and increased cancer risk.
So, while “diet” and “low calorie” versions seem appealing, they may not be the healthiest answer. They also contain a raft of other ingredients that are unlikely to support health and have no nutritional value.
Takeaway
Drinking sugar-sweetened beverages is linked with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. They are causing millions of new cases and deaths each year, with little sign of slowing.
In particular, the new research highlights the swift increase in these conditions in less developed countries and the over-sized influence of beverage companies in these regions.
“This should not be a paper that is published and ignored,” McCann said. “There is an urgent drive for more intensified, robust policy changes — particularly targeted at countries and sub-groups who are most impacted.”
Sugary Drinks Linked to Diabetes, Heart Disease. Here's What to Drink Instead
Source: Pinoy Lang Sakalam
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