A new study from researchers at the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, published in Nature Medicine on January 6, estimates that 2.2 million new cases of type 2 diabetes and 1.2 million new cases of cardiovascular disease occur each year globally due to the 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 cardiovascular disease.
Countries like Colombia, Mexico, and South Africa have been especially hard hit. In Colombia, more than 48% of all new diabetes cases are attributable to sugary drink consumption. Nearly one-third of new diabetes cases in Mexico are linked to sugary drinks. In South Africa, 27.6% of new diabetes cases and 14.6% of cardiovascular disease cases are attributed to sugary beverages.
Sugary drinks are rapidly digested, causing a spike in blood sugar levels with minimal nutritional value. Regular consumption leads to weight gain, insulin resistance, and a host of metabolic issues associated with type 2 diabetes and heart disease, two of the leading causes of death globally.
These sugary beverages are heavily marketed and sold in low- and middle-income countries, where communities are particularly vulnerable to long-term health consequences due to limited access to healthcare resources.
Dariush Mozaffarian, senior author of the paper and director of the Food is Medicine Institute at the Friedman School, explains: “As countries develop and incomes rise, sugary drinks become more accessible and desirable. Men are more likely than women to suffer the consequences of sugary drink consumption, and younger adults are more affected than older adults.”
To address this growing health crisis, the study calls for urgent, evidence-based interventions to curb sugary drink consumption. These include public health campaigns, advertising regulations, and taxes on sugary beverages. Some countries, such as Mexico, have already taken steps in this direction. Mexico introduced a sugary drink tax in 2014, and early evidence suggests it has been successful 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 consequences are severe,” says Mozaffarian, who is also the Jean Mayer Professor of Nutrition at the Friedman School. “As a species, we need to address sugar-sweetened beverage consumption.”
This research was supported by the Gates Foundation, the American Heart Association, and the National Council for Science and Technology in Mexico. Full details of the study, including methodology, limitations, and conflicts of interest, are available in the published paper.
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