A new study reveals that sugary drinks contribute to 3.4 million new cases of diabetes and heart disease annually worldwide.
Summary: A new study published in Nature Medicine estimates that sugary beverages are responsible for 2.2 million new cases of type 2 diabetes and 1.2 million new cases of heart disease annually worldwide. The impact is particularly severe in developing countries like Colombia, Mexico, and South Africa, where sugary drinks account for a significant portion of new diabetes and heart disease cases. Researchers are calling for urgent global interventions, including public health campaigns, advertising regulations, and taxes, to curb sugary drink consumption and mitigate its health consequences.
Key Takeaways:
- Global Health Impact of Sugary Drinks: Each year, sugar-sweetened beverages are linked to 3.4 million new cases of diabetes and heart disease globally, with a disproportionate burden on developing nations.
- Regional Disparities Highlighted: In countries like Colombia and Mexico, sugary drinks account for nearly half and one-third of new diabetes cases, respectively, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions in high-consumption regions.
- Call for Urgent Action: Researchers advocate for measures such as beverage taxes, public health campaigns, and advertising restrictions to reduce consumption and address the growing health crisis caused by sugary drinks.
A new study from researchers at the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, which published in Nature Medicine, estimates that 2.2 million new cases of type 2 diabetes and 1.2 million new cases of heart disease occur each year globally due to consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages.
In developing countries, the case count is particularly sobering. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the study found that sugar-sweetened beverages contributed to more than 21% of all new diabetes cases. In Latin America and the Caribbean, they contributed to nearly 24% of new diabetes cases and more than 11% of new cases of heart disease.
Colombia, Mexico, and South Africa are countries that have been particularly hard hit. More than 48% of all new diabetes cases in Colombia were attributable to consumption of sugary drinks. Nearly one-third of all new diabetes cases in Mexico were linked to sugary drink consumption. In South Africa, 27.6% of new diabetes cases and 14.6% of heart disease cases were attributable to sugary drink consumption.
How Sugary Beverages Harm Health
Sugary beverages are rapidly digested, causing a spike in blood sugar levels with little nutritional value. Regular consumption over time leads to weight gain, insulin resistance, and a host of metabolic issues tied to type 2 diabetes and heart disease, two of the world’s leading causes of death.
“Sugar-sweetened beverages are heavily marketed and sold in low- and middle-income nations. Not only are these communities consuming harmful products, but they are also often less well equipped to deal with the long-term health consequences,” says Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, senior author on the paper and director of the Food is Medicine Institute at the Friedman School, in a release.
Call for Interventions
As countries develop and incomes rise, sugary drinks become more accessible and desirable, the authors say. Men are more likely than women to suffer the consequences of sugary drink consumption, as are younger adults compared to their older counterparts, the researchers say.
“We need urgent, evidence-based interventions to curb consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages globally, before even more lives are shortened by their effects on diabetes and heart disease,” says Laura Lara-Castor, first author on the paper who earned her Ph.D. at the Friedman School and is now at the University of Washington, in a release.
The study’s authors call for a multi-pronged approach, including public health campaigns, regulation of sugary drink advertising, and taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages. Some countries have already taken steps in this direction. Mexico, which has one of the highest per capita rates of sugary drink consumption in the world, introduced a tax on the beverages in 2014. Early evidence suggests that the tax has been effective in reducing consumption, particularly among lower-income individuals.
“Much more needs to be done, especially in countries in Latin America and Africa where consumption is high and the health consequence severe,” says Mozaffarian, who is also Jean Mayer Professor of Nutrition at the Friedman School, in a release. “As a species, we need to address sugar-sweetened beverage consumption.”
Research reported in this article was supported by the Gates Foundation, the American Heart Association, and the National Council for Science and Technology in Mexico.
ID 98346389 © Vchalup | Dreamstime.com
