According to a study, millions of cases of diabetes and heart disease are caused by sugary drinks
A recent study found that sugary drinks cause more than 2.2 million new instances of diabetes and 1.1 million new cases of heart disease annually worldwide.
Health disparities are becoming more pronounced, according to a global analysis released Monday in Nature Medicine. Sugar-filled beverages were responsible for nearly a quarter (24%) of new cases of diabetes in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2020.
Health disparities are becoming more pronounced, according to a global analysis released Monday in Nature Medicine. Sugar-filled beverages were responsible for nearly a quarter (24%) of new cases of diabetes in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2020.
Over one in five (21%) new cases of diabetes and over one in ten (11%) new cases of heart disease were caused by sugary drinks in sub-Saharan Africa, the region with the largest percentage rise in incidence between 1990 and 2020.
South Africa, Mexico, and Colombia have been especially heavily struck, according to a study by US academics at Tufts University.
South Africa, Mexico, and Colombia have been especially heavily struck, according to a study by US academics at Tufts University.
In Colombia, over half (48%) of all new instances of diabetes were caused by sugary drinks. In South Africa, sugary drinks were associated to 14.6% of cardiovascular disease cases and nearly one-third of all new diabetes cases. In Mexico, they were linked to 27.6% of new diabetes cases.
With minimal nutritious value, sugary drinks cause a surge in blood sugar levels due to their quick digestion. Consuming them on a daily basis over time causes insulin resistance, weight gain, and a variety of metabolic problems linked to heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
With minimal nutritious value, sugary drinks cause a surge in blood sugar levels due to their quick digestion. Consuming them on a daily basis over time causes insulin resistance, weight gain, and a variety of metabolic problems linked to heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
According to Dariush Mozaffarian, head of Tuft's Food is Medicine Institute and one of the paper's authors, "Sugar-sweetened beverages are heavily marketed and sold in low- and middle-income nations." In addition to using dangerous items, these communities are frequently ill-prepared to handle the long-term health effects.
According to the World Health Organization, 830 million people worldwide suffer with diabetes, with the majority residing in low- and middle-income nations. An estimated 17.9 million people worldwide die from cardiovascular disorders each year, making them the leading cause of death worldwide. The countries with the lowest and intermediate incomes account for about three-quarters of these deaths.
Dr. Catherine Kanari, a specialist in non-communicable illnesses with Amref Health Africa in Kenya, stated: "We are witnessing an increase in the demand for sugary drinks, driven by online influencer culture. Social media influencers pay to promote branded sugary drinks to young people in urban areas, bridging the knowledge gap created by the absence of nutrition education in schools.
In the end, she continued, "an increase in diabetes cases could push our health system to its breaking point."take occur in nations with low and moderate incomes.
In the end, she continued, "an increase in diabetes cases could push our health system to its breaking point."take occur in nations with low and moderate incomes.
The authors of the study advocate for a number of policies, such as taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages, rules governing the promotion of sugary drinks, and public health campaigns. In 2014, a tax on sugar-filled beverages was implemented in Mexico, a country with one of the highest rates of consumption in the world.
"A lot more work needs to be done, particularly in Latin American and African countries where consumption is high and the health consequences are severe," Mozaffarian stated. "We must address the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages as a species."
"A lot more work needs to be done, particularly in Latin American and African countries where consumption is high and the health consequences are severe," Mozaffarian stated. "We must address the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages as a species."
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