Study links fizzy drinks to Type 2 Diabetes for millions!

Researchers find that fizzy drinks could be responsible for many developing type 2 diabetes.

A new study carried out by researchers at Tufts University and published in Nature Medicine estimates that sugar-sweetened drinkss contribute to 2.2 million new cases of type 2 diabetes and 1.2 million new cases of cardiovascular disease globally each year.

In developing nations, the impact of sugar-sweetened beverages is particularly alarming. The study revealed that in Sub-Saharan Africa, over 21% of all new diabetes cases were linked to sugary drink consumption. In Latin America and the Caribbean, nearly 24% of new diabetes cases and more than 11% of new cardiovascular disease cases were attributed to these beverages.

Countries like Colombia, Mexico, and South Africa have been hit especially hard. In Colombia, sugary drinks accounted for over 48% of all new diabetes cases. In Mexico, nearly one-third of new diabetes cases were linked to their consumption. Meanwhile, in South Africa, 27.6% of new diabetes cases and 14.6% of new cardiovascular disease cases were attributed to sugary beverages.

These drinks are rapidly absorbed, leading to sharp spikes in blood sugar with little nutritional benefit. Over time, regular consumption contributes to weight gain, insulin resistance, and a cascade of metabolic problems associated with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, two of the world’s leading causes of death.

“Sugary drinks are aggressively marketed and sold in low- and middle-income countries. These communities not only face the health risks associated with these products but often lack the resources to manage the long-term consequences,” says Dariush Mozaffarian, senior author of the study and director of the Food is Medicine Institute at the Friedman School.