Why Drinking Sugary Drinks May Increase Your Risk Of Death – Study

Published Monday in Nature Medicine, the study examined global data on sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, incorporating findings from both observational and randomized studies on diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Using this data, researchers developed a comparative risk model, estimating that sugary drinks contribute to more than 330,000 deaths annually from diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

The impact is especially severe in Latin America and the Caribbean, where sugary drinks account for the highest number of cardiovascular disease cases. In sub-Saharan Africa, these beverages are also linked to the highest rates of type 2 diabetes, according to the study’s model.

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Toby Smithson, a registered dietitian nutritionist and senior manager of nutrition and wellness at the American Diabetes Association, who was not involved in the study, noted that the demographics most affected by sugary drinks are young male adults with higher education levels living in urban areas.

Dr. Mozaffarian stressed the importance of addressing the issue, saying, “It’s time to pay attention to, and take priority actions to deal with, this tragic preventable suffering.”

The Speedy Impact of Liquid Sugar

Though the study did not involve an intervention or control group to establish causality, its findings underscore the harmful effects of sugary drinks on health.

The researchers collected data from 184 countries, though the study did not account for all income levels or consider the increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease among high-risk ethnic groups, Smithson explained.

Still, the connection between sugary drinks and poor health outcomes is well-established, Mozaffarian added. Sugar-sweetened beverages are considered “empty calories”—calories that offer no nutritional value. According to Smithson, they are also a source of rapidly absorbed carbohydrates that can spike blood sugar levels.

Sugary liquids are particularly harmful because they enter the bloodstream faster than solid sugars.

Suzanne Janzi, a doctoral student in nutritional epidemiology at Lund University in Sweden, explained that liquid sugars are absorbed more quickly by the digestive system since they do not require the same breakdown processes as solid foods.

“Solid sugars are often part of foods that contain other nutrients like fiber, proteins, and fats, which slow digestion and lead to a more gradual release of sugar into the bloodstream,” Janzi said in an earlier interview with CNN.

Furthermore, liquid sugars typically do not satisfy hunger the way solid foods do. This can lead to overeating and poor appetite regulation, contributing to excessive calorie consumption, she added.

Are Alternative Sweeteners a Better Option?

What about drinks sweetened with alternatives to sugar? While they may seem like a safer option, Mozaffarian cautioned that both natural and artificial low-calorie sweeteners may also pose health risks.

“Growing research shows that both natural and artificial low-calorie sweeteners are not innocuous and may cause health harms, so these should be considered a short-term, less harmful alternative, not a long-term solution,” he said.

For people with diabetes who are accustomed to sugary drinks, Smithson suggested that artificial sweeteners can offer a short-term, more diabetes-friendly alternative. However, Mozaffarian advocates for eliminating sugary drinks altogether, recommending unsweetened options such as seltzer, unsweetened tea, coffee, or plain water as healthier choices.

Smithson emphasized the importance of proper hydration for managing blood pressure, blood sugar, internal temperature, and digestion.

“The best hydrating beverage is water,” she said. “If a person doesn’t like plain water, they can jazz it up by drinking infused water with slices of lemon, lime, or fresh herbs, or using sparkling water that contains no added sugar.”