A new study exploring the harmful effects sugary drinks have on health reveals a global rise in diabetes and heart disease linked to regular consumption. Researchers from Tufts University have released data showing that sugary drinks are responsible for an increase in both conditions, with significant health disparities emerging in low and middle-income countries.
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The study estimates sugary drinks contribute to 2.2 million new diabetes cases and over a million heart disease diagnoses each year.
It also highlights how quickly sugary drinks spike blood sugar levels, with regular consumption linked to weight gain, insulin resistance and an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
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The data includes nearly 3 million people, representing 87% of the global population. In 2020, sugary drinks were responsible for 24% of all new diabetes cases in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Sub-Saharan Africa, which has seen the largest rise in cases over the past 30 years, is also heavily impacted. The study found sugary drinks were responsible for 21% of new diabetes cases and 11% of new heart disease diagnoses in the region.
Dariush Mozaffarian, one of the study’s authors, noted that sugary drinks are often targeted to low and middle-income communities. Those are areas where people are more vulnerable to long-term health problems.
“Not only are these communities consuming harmful products, but they are also often less well-equipped to deal with the long-term health consequences,” Mozaffarian said.
Countries like Colombia and Mexico, which have high poverty rates, have seen sugary drinks contribute to a significant percentage of both diseases.
While the study can’t definitively prove cause and effect, researchers are calling for increased public awareness about the risks sugary drinks pose to health.
They point to efforts in countries like Mexico, France and Thailand, where “sugar taxes” have been implemented to curb diabetes or obesity rates.
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Several U.S. cities, including San Francisco, Seattle and Philadelphia, have also adopted similar taxes on sugary beverages.
The World Health Organization estimates 830 million people worldwide are living with diabetes. Meanwhile, heart disease claims nearly 18 million lives each year.
Tags: Africa, Cardiovascular disease, Colombia, Diabetes, Mexico, Research, South Africa, Study, United States, World Health Organization
[Karah Rucker]
RESEARCHERS SAY WE’RE SEEING A GLOBAL RISE IN DIABETES AND HEART DISEASE – AND THE CAUSE IS COMING ONE SIP AT A TIME.
RESEARCHERS AT TUFTS UNIVERSITY IN MASSACHUSETTS SAY SUGARY DRINKS ARE HAVING DAMAGING IMPACTS ON OUR BODIES.
THE DATA POINTS TO SUGARY DRINKS BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR TWO POINT TWO MILLION NEW DIABETES CASES AND OVER A MILLION HEART DISEASE DIAGNOSES–WITH THE MOST IN POVERTY STRICKEN REGIONS.
THE STUDY REVEALS HOW QUICKLY SUGARY DRINKS HIT YOUR SYSTEM AND SPIKE YOUR BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS.
WITH REGULAR CONSUMPTION LINKED TO WEIGHT GAIN AND A HIGHER RISK OF TYPE TWO DIABETES AND HEART DISEASE.
THE DATA COVERS NEARLY THREE MILLION PEOPLE– 87 PERCENT OF THE GLOBAL POPULATION– TO HELP PAINT A CLEAR PICTURE.
IN 2020 RESEARCHERS SAY SUGARY DRINKS ACCOUNTED FOR 24 PERCENT OF ALL NEW DIABETES DIAGNOSES IN THE CARIBBEAN AND LATIN AMERICA
OVER THE LAST THIRTY YEARS. NUMBERS IN AFRICA ARE ALSO ALARMING…THE SUB SAHARAN REGION HAS SEEN THE HIGHEST INCREASE OF CASES WITH 21 PERCENT OF NEW DIABETES CASES AND 11 PERCENT OF NEW HEART DISEASE CASES.
ONE OF THE AUTHORS OF THE STUDY SAYS DRINKS WITH HIGH SUGAR CONTENT ARE TYPICALLY SOLD AND MARKETED IN LOW AND MIDDLE INCOME COMMUNITIES WHERE PEOPLE ARE MORE VULNERABLE TO DISEASE…SAYING IN A STATEMENT:
“Not only are these communities consuming harmful products, but they are also often less well equipped to deal with the long-term health consequences.”
COLOMBIA AND MEXICO WITH HIGH POVERTY RATES…SAW SUGARY DRINKS CONNECTED TO A SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE OF BOTH DISEASES.
ALTHOUGH THEIR FINDINGS CAN’T PROVE CAUSE AND EFFECT, RESEARCHERS ARE CALLING FOR MORE PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT THE HEALTH RISKS.
THEY POINT TO COUNTRIES LIKE MEXICO, FRANCE OR THAILAND IMPLEMENTING A “SUGAR TAX” ON BEVERAGES TO SLOW DOWN DIABETES RATES.
SOME CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES HAVE TAXES ON BEVERAGES WITH ADDED SUGAR. SAN FRANCISCO, SEATTLE, PHILADELPHIA AMONG THE FEW.
THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION SAYS ACROSS THE GLOBE ABOUT 830 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE DIABETES.
WHILE HEART DISEASE CAUSES CLOSE TO 18 MILLION DEATHS IN A SINGLE YEAR.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M KARAH RUCKER.
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