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A study suggests that sugary drinks may increase your risk of dying from heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
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Sugary drinks promote fat storage, insulin resistance and other metabolic problems, which increase the risk of chronic disease.
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Experts explain the findings and offer tips for reducing intake.
For chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes, some risk factors are within your control and others are beyond your control. For example, while you can’t change your family history, you can control what you eat every day, both of which can have a significant impact on your disease risk. One study specifically found that sugary drinks are linked to type 2 diabetes and heart disease deaths. Read on for everything you need to know about the link and why you might want to cut back on those sips.
Meet the experts: Adapo Iluyomade (M.D.)a preventive cardiologist at Baptist Health Miami Heart & Vascular Institute; Melissa Moroz-Planels, DCN, RDNnational media spokesperson of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics prevention medical review board.
The study was published in natural medicineanalyzed global sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption data from observational and randomized studies, as well as the prevalence of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Globally, researchers find 2.2 million new cases type 2 diabetes In 2020, 1.2 million new cases of heart disease were caused by SSB – accounting for approximately 1 in 10 new cases of type 2 diabetes and 1 in 30 new cases of heart disease. They also estimate that approximately 340,000 people died from SSB-related type 2 diabetes and heart disease in 2020.
The problem is particularly acute in Latin America and the Caribbean, which has the most cases of drink-related heart disease, and sub-Saharan Africa has the most cases of type 2 diabetes, the study noted. The study also examined the demographics of those most affected by sugary drinks: young, highly educated men in urban areas.
Sugar-sweetened beverages, or SSBs, include traditional beverages such as soft drinks, fruity drinks, energy drinks, punch, lemonade, and aguas frescas. Adapo Iluyomade (M.D.)Preventive cardiologist at Baptist Health Miami Heart & Vascular Institute. “Importantly, 100% fruit juices, artificially sweetened drinks and sweetened milk are generally excluded from this definition,” he added.
Dr. Iluyomade said sugary drinks can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease through direct and indirect mechanisms. “Rapid absorption of sugar in liquid form can cause glucose spikes insulin surgepromotes visceral fat accumulation and insulin resistance“He explained. Over time, these changes can lead to metabolic dysfunction, increased blood pressure, high cholesteroland chronic inflammation– A key driver of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, says Dr. Iluyomade.
When you consume foods and drinks that contain added sugar, they may also displace healthier or more nutrient-dense options, which may ultimately lead to harmful changes in your health. “Any type of added sugar in our diet, whether from food or drink, should be limited,” says Melissa Moroz-Planels, DCN, RDNnational media spokesperson of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics prevention medical review board. Ideally, she suggests, we’d like to choose more water and non-caloric beverages over sugary drinks.
Dr. Iluyomade agreed, explaining that given the strong association between sugary drinks and adverse cardiometabolic outcomes, occasional consumption should be limited. “For most people, less than one serving per week is sensible, especially when balanced with a nutrient-dense, whole-food-based diet, e.g. mediterranean diet,” he said, noting that daily or regular consumption is not recommended.
bottom line
It’s important to remember that this study’s analysis was observational. Therefore, researchers cannot say that sugary drinks are cause Type 2 diabetes and heart disease—they could only estimate the larger impact.
Mroz-Planells said this observed relationship has been present in many other studies examining high-sugar beverage consumption and health outcomes. “These results reinforce the message from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Heart Association, and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans to choose more nutrient-dense foods and low- to no-sugar beverages while limiting foods and beverages with added sugar,” she explained.
Although many factors are involved in the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease, this study highlights the significant burden associated with frequent consumption of sugary drinks. “The findings underscore the urgent need for public health measures aimed at reducing sugary beverage consumption, particularly in regions and subpopulations where the burden is highest, such as ours in the United States,” said Dr. Iluyomade.
If you are looking for a way Reduce sugar intake Mroz-Planells recommends starting simple by “cutting back on one or two sugary drinks per day or week and choosing smart alternatives, such as regular soda mixed with fresh-squeezed fruit.” Eventually, the sugary bites may even become too sweet and you won’t want to eat them anymore.
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