Article Impact Level: HIGH Data Quality: STRONG Summary of Nature Medicine, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-024-03345-4 Dr. Laura Lara-Castor et al.
Points
- In 2020, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) contributed to 2.2 million new type 2 diabetes (T2D) cases (9.8% of global cases) and 1.2 million new cardiovascular disease (CVD) cases (3.1% of global cases), with significant regional disparities.
- The highest SSB-attributable disease burdens were found in Latin America and the Caribbean (24.4% of T2D and 11.3% of CVD cases) and sub-Saharan Africa (21.5% of T2D and 10.5% of CVD cases), showing sharp increases from 1990 to 2020.
- Men, younger adults, and urban populations were disproportionately affected, with countries like Colombia, Mexico, and South Africa experiencing particularly high rates of SSB-linked diabetes and CVD cases.
- Researchers highlight the effectiveness of measures such as sugar taxes (e.g., Mexico’s 2014 tax) and public health campaigns in reducing SSB consumption, especially among low-income populations.
- Urgent, evidence-based interventions are needed globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, to address the rising health consequences of SSB consumption.
Summary
A recent global study on the health impacts of sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption reveals alarming statistics regarding its contribution to type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). In 2020, the study found that 2.2 million new cases of T2D (95% uncertainty interval: 2.0–2.3 million) and 1.2 million new CVD cases (95% uncertainty interval: 1.1–1.3 million) were attributable to SSBs, representing 9.8% and 3.1% of all new cases globally. The study highlighted significant regional variations, with the highest SSB-attributable burdens found in Latin America and the Caribbean (24.4% of T2D and 11.3% of CVD) and sub-Saharan Africa (21.5% of T2D and 10.5% of CVD). Additionally, the most significant proportional increases in SSB-attributable disease cases from 1990 to 2020 were observed in sub-Saharan Africa (+8.8% for T2D and +4.4% for CVD).
The study’s findings emphasize that men, younger adults, and individuals in urban areas are more likely to be affected by the cardiometabolic consequences of SSB consumption. Countries such as Colombia, Mexico, and South Africa were particularly impacted. In Colombia, 48% of new diabetes cases were linked to SSBs, while in Mexico, the figure was 31%. South Africa saw 27.6% of new diabetes cases and 14.6% of new CVD cases attributed to sugary drinks. These findings underline the global scale of the problem, with low- and middle-income countries, particularly in Africa and Latin America, bearing the brunt of these health burdens.
Given the rapid increase in SSB consumption in developing countries, the researchers call for urgent interventions to reduce intake, including public health campaigns, regulation of advertising, and taxation. Early evidence, such as Mexico’s 2014 sugar tax, suggests that such measures can reduce consumption, especially among lower-income groups. The study advocates for a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to tackle the widespread health consequences of SSB consumption.
Link to the article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-03345-4
References Lara-Castor, L., O’Hearn, M., Cudhea, F., Miller, V., Shi, P., Zhang, J., Sharib, J. R., Cash, S. B., Barquera, S., Micha, R., & Mozaffarian, D. (2025). Burdens of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease attributable to sugar-sweetened beverages in 184 countries. Nature Medicine, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-024-03345-4
