Sugary drinks blamed for millions of new diabetes and heart disease cases globally: Study

Sugary drinks

are fueling millions of

diabetes

and

heart disease

cases worldwide, found a new study. A global analysis of 184 countries published in Nature Medicine on Monday collected data from observational and randomized studies over the period 1990-2020, and took into account both diabetes and cardiovascular disease prevalence.
As per the analysis, sugary drinks are responsible for more than 2.2 million new cases of diabetes and 1.1m new cases of heart disease a year around the world. Researchers also estimated that sugary drinks caused more than 330,000 deaths every year from diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
The study also gave country-wise data on most affected nations. In Latin America and the Caribbean, sugary drinks contributed to almost a quarter (24%) of new diabetes cases in 2020. The sub-Saharan Africa saw the greatest percentage increase in cases from 1990 to 2020 and here the sugary drinks led to more than one in five (21%) new diabetes cases and more than one in 10 (11%) new cases of heart disease.
Almost half (48%) of all new diabetes cases were due to sugary drinks in Colombia while nearly a third of all new diabetes cases in Mexico were linked to them. More than a quarter (27.6%) of new diabetes cases and 14.6% of cases of cardiovascular disease in South Africa were due to sugary drinks.

Why sugary drinks cause diabetes and heart disease

Sugary drinks are rapidly digested by the body as being simple carbs made up of shorter chains of molecules causing a spike in blood-sugar levels with little nutritional value. Drinking them regularly over time leads to weight gain,

insulin resistance

and a host of

metabolic issues

tied to type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Empty sugars in liquid form are even more harmful than those in desserts. They are absorbed more rapidly as they don’t require the same breakdown processes as solid foods. Foods that are slowly digested like complex carbs, protein, fats, and fibre, do not cause sugar spikes and can keep you full for longer.

Dariush Mozaffarian, one of the paper’s authors and director of Tuft’s Food is Medicine Institute, said: “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.”

Sugary drinks side effects

Increased risk of diabetes: Consuming sugary beverages regularly can cause insulin resistance, significantly increasing the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes over time.
Heart health: High sugar intake is linked to elevated blood pressure, increased triglycerides, and

obesity

, all of which contribute to a greater risk of heart disease and stroke.
Weight gain: Sugary drinks are packed with empty calories that don’t provide satiety, leading to overeating and long-term weight gain, which is a major health concern globally.
Tooth decay: The high sugar content in these beverages creates an acidic environment in the mouth, eroding enamel and increasing the risk of cavities and gum disease.
Liver damage: Frequent consumption of sugary drinks can overload the liver, leading to conditions like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and an increased risk of liver inflammation.
(Picture courtesy: iStock)