A recently published global study has confirmed the link between sugar-sweetened beverages and life-threating diseases. What does this mean for consumers? An expert endocrinologist at Rambam Health Care Campus (Rambam) in Haifa, Israel, offers her perspective and advice.
Although everyone “knows” that sugar-sweetened beverages are bad for their health, they remain the popular beverage when thirsty. However, a recently published study in the prestigious journal Nature Medicine, has reinforced the link between sugary drinks and life-threatening conditions such as diabetes, heart attacks, and vascular disease.
Dr. Irit Hochberg, acting director and head of the Diabetes Service in the Institute of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism at Rambam delves into the implications of this eye-opening study.
Researchers from Tufts University analyzed the impact of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption on type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease burdens across 184 countries by comparing data from 1990–2020. The study used information from the Global Dietary Database, which included 450 surveys totaling 2.9 million individuals from 118 countries enabling them to provide a detailed worldwide analysis of the impact of sugar-sweetened beverages on health.
The study revealed that sugar-sweetened beverages had a greater impact on diabetes rates among men, younger adults, and surprisingly, individuals with higher education—who are presumably more aware of health risks. In 2020, sugary drinks contributed to 9.8% of new type 2 diabetes cases (2.2 million globally) and 1.2 million new cases of cardiovascular disease. These findings underscore the profound influence of modern lifestyle habits on health, regardless of education or awareness and support those of earlier studies linking the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages to an increase in diabetes-related complications and morbidity.
“Many patients ask me to provide a ‘natural treatment‘ for diabetes, without medications,” says Hochberg. “A healthy diet consisting mainly of vegetables, proteins, and healthy fats, avoiding or reducing sugar and other processed carbohydrates. Maintaining a healthy weight and engaging in physical activity is essential. This approach is also recommended for those who have already developed diabetes. However, almost always, they will also need regular medications to reduce the complications of the disease.”
The human diet historically relied on unprocessed, seasonal foods, with natural sugar intake from whole fruits. In contrast, the past century has seen a rise in the consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks, which lack fiber and essential nutrients.
When thirsty, many people reach for a sugary drink, sometimes multiple times a day. This habit strains the body’s insulin delivery system, disrupts weight and energy regulation, and leads to increased blood sugar levels, ultimately raising health risks.
Hochberg also points out that another study, published in Cell Metabolism, revealed that sugary drinks alter the composition of gut bacteria and disrupt blood metabolite levels, both of which are linked to the development of diabetes.
Prevention is better than cure
Preventing a disease is always better than treating it after it has already developed. Avoiding disease-related suffering, high costs, and the burden of complex chronic drug therapies are just some of the benefits of focusing on prevention.
It has also been noted that excessive sugar consumption is linked to relatively young individuals, at the peak of their lives, developing serious health conditions such as ischemic heart disease, kidney failure, chronic pain, nervous system damage, and more. Much of this suffering could be prevented by adopting a diet with less sugar, thereby helping reduce the risk of diabetes and obesity.
As a healthcare professional, Hochberg recommends that people stop drinking sugar-sweetened beverages, or at least reduce their intake to a minimum. This can be challenging because sugar has an addictive component. However, when people understand the negative impact of sugary beverages on their health – including the risks of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and premature death – making changes at the family and community levels becomes easier. Opting for healthier alternatives can lead to significant health benefits, with fewer feelings of deprivation or temptation.