- Sugar-sweetened beverages may increase your risk of death from heart disease and type 2 diabetes, according to one study.
- Sugary drinks promote fat storage, insulin resistance, and other metabolic problems that up your risk of developing chronic illnesses.
- Experts explain the findings and offer tips for cutting back.
When it comes to chronic illnesses like heart disease and diabetes, there are some risk factors you can control and others that you can’t. While you can’t change a family history, for example, you can control what you’re eating and drinking on a daily basis, both of which have a powerful impact on your disease risk. One study in particular has found sugary drinks linked to death from type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Read on for everything you need to know about the link, plus why you may want to cut back on these sips.
Meet the experts: Adedapo Iluyomade, M.D., preventative cardiologist with Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute; Melissa Mroz-Planells, D.C.N., R.D.N., national media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and member of the Prevention Medical Review Board.
The study, which was published in Nature Medicine, analyzed global data on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) consumed around the world from both observational and randomized studies, as well as diabetes and cardiovascular disease prevalence.
On a global level, researchers found that 2.2 million new cases of type 2 diabetes and 1.2 million new cases of heart disease in 2020 were attributable to SSBs—representing about 1 in 10 new type 2 diabetes cases and 1 in 30 new heart disease cases. They also estimated that about 340,000 people died in 2020 from SSB-related type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
The problem is particularly serious in Latin America and the Caribbean, the study notes, which had the largest number of heart disease cases related to beverages, and sub-Saharan Africa, which had the most cases of type 2 diabetes. The study also examined the demographics of those most affected by sugar-sweetened drinks—namely, younger male adults with higher education in urban areas.
Sugary drinks, or sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), include soft drinks, fruit-flavored drinks, energy drinks, punch, lemonade, and traditional beverages such as aguas frescas, said Adedapo Iluyomade, M.D., preventative cardiologist with Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute. “Importantly, 100% fruit juice, artificially sweetened beverages, and sweetened milk are typically excluded from this definition,” he added.
Sugary drinks can drive the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease through both direct and indirect mechanisms, said Dr. Iluyomade. “Rapid absorption of sugars in liquid form causes glucose spikes and insulin surges, promoting visceral fat accumulation and insulin resistance,” he explained. Over time, these changes can lead to metabolic dysfunction, elevated blood pressure, high cholesterol, and chronic inflammation—key drivers of both type 2 diabetes and heart disease, Dr. Iluyomade said.
When you consume foods and drinks that contain added sugars, they are also likely taking the place of healthier or more nutrient-dense options, which can ultimately lead to harmful changes in your health. “Any type of added sugar in our diets, whether from food or beverages, should be limited,” said Melissa Mroz-Planells, D.C.N., R.D.N., national media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and member of the Prevention Medical Review Board. Ideally, we want to choose water and non-caloric beverages more often than sugar-sweetened ones, she advised.
Dr. Iluyomade agreed, explaining that given their strong association with negative cardiometabolic outcomes, sugary drinks should be limited to occasional consumption. “For most individuals, less than one serving per week is advisable, especially when balanced with a nutrient-dense, whole-food-based diet such as the Mediterranean diet,” he said, also noting that daily or frequent consumption is not recommended.
The bottom line
It’s important to remember that this study’s analysis was observational. Therefore, the researchers can’t say that sugar-sweetened beverages are causing type 2 diabetes and heart disease—they can only estimate the greater impact.
This observational relationship has been present in many other studies that looked at high sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and health outcomes, said Mroz-Planells. “These results reinforce the messages from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 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 drinks with added sugars,” she explained.
Though many factors go into a type 2 diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease diagnosis, this study highlights the significant burden associated with frequent consumption of sugary drinks. “The findings emphasize the urgent need for public health measures aimed at reducing sugary drink consumption, particularly in regions and subpopulations with the highest-burden—like ours here in the U.S.,” Dr. Iluyomade said.
If you are looking for ways to cut back on sugar and sweetened beverages, Mroz-Planells suggested starting simply “by cutting out one to two sugar-sweetened beverages/day or week and choosing smart swaps like plain sparkling water mixed with freshly squeezed fruit.” Eventually, the sugar-sweetened sips may even start to taste too sweet and you won’t crave them anymore.
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