Sweet Danger
By Tufts University
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 cardiovascular disease.
Sugary drinks are rapidly digested, causing blood sugar
spikes and contributing to weight gain, insulin resistance, and other metabolic
issues tied to diabetes and heart disease. Credit: Alonso Nichols/Tufts
University
Alarming Statistics from Specific Regions
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 cardiovascular disease cases
were attributable to sugary drink consumption.
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.
Calls for Action on Sugary Drink Consumption
“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, senior author on the
paper and director of the Food is Medicine Institute at
the Friedman School.
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.
Effective Measures and Urgent Recommendations
“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, NG24, first author on the paper who earned her Ph.D. at the
Friedman School and is now at the University of Washington.
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. “As a species, we need to address sugar-sweetened
beverage consumption.”
Reference: 6 January 2025, Nature Medicine.
DOI: 10.1038/s41591-024-03345-4
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. Complete information on authors, methodology,
limitations, and conflicts of interest is available in the published paper. The
content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily
represent the official views of the funders.
