NatMed: more than 300,000 people a year lose their lives because of sugary drinks

American scientists from Tufts University have assessed the global damage to human health due to the use of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). It turned out that sweetened drinks significantly increase morbidity and mortality from diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The study was published in the scientific journal Nature Medicine (NatMed).

Specialists attributed any beverages with sugar in the proportion of at least 50 kilocalories per 240 milliliters to PSN. The exceptions were sweetened milk, 100% fruit and vegetable juices, and beverages with non-caloric sweeteners.

The researchers obtained beverage consumption data from the Global Nutrition Database, which included a total of 2.9 million participants from 118 countries.

The authors incorporated these data and measures of cardiometabolic disease into a comparative risk assessment based on previous studies of the physiologic effects of sugary drinks.

According to the analysis, SSPs contribute to 1.2 million new cases of heart disease each year, as well as 2.2 million new cases of type 2 diabetes.

In addition, sugary drinks lead to approximately 80,000 diabetes-related deaths and 258,000 cardiovascular-related deaths.

Researchers note that our bodies digest sugary drinks quickly, raising blood sugar levels but providing only meager nutritional value at best.

At the same time, these products are widely promoted in developing countries. According to the report, in Mexico, nearly a third of all new cases of diabetes are linked to PSNs, and in Colombia the figure is closer to 50%.

The scientists added that they want to inform people about the devastating scale of health damage caused by sugary drinks.