2.2 Million Diabetes Cases Tied to Sugary Drinks – Here’s What You Need to Know

According to a new research published in Nature Medicine journal, in 2020, around 2.2 million new cases of Type 2 diabetes was reported globally. The reason? Sugar-sweetened beverages. The research is conducted by Laura Lara-Castor, Dariush Mozaffarian et.al. and is titled Burdens of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease attributable to sugar-sweetened beverages in 184 countries.

How Was The Study Conducted?

As the title suggests, the researcher assessed data from 184 countries to estimate global cases of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease due to sugar0sweetened beverage intake. In addition to cases of Type 2 diabetes, researchers also found that 1.2 million new cases of cardiovascular disease were caused due to such beverages.

The study also looked at how cases would differ across different demographics. Globally, the burden of sugar-sweetened beverage intake was higher among men than women. It was also seen in younger adults, higher-educated adults and also those in the urban areas.

However, this burden was not same across the different regions of the world. In regions like Latin America, the Caribbean and sub-Saharan Africa, sugar drinks led to the highest burden of diseases. In sub-Saharan Africa, it contributed to a 21% of all new diabetes cases in 2020. In Latin America and the Caribbean, it was at 24%, while for cardiovascular diseases, it reported at 11%.

Columbia also noted a highest increase in Type 2 diabetes cases between 1990 to 2020, at 793 new cases. In 2020, 50% of new Type 2 diabetes cases in Columbia were associated with sugar drinks. United States too was not left behind, it ranked second in increase incidence of Type 2 diabetes. From 1990 to 2020, it reported for 671 cases per 1 million adults.

The study also found that the largest proportional increase sin both diseases from 1990 to 2020 in sub-Saharan Africa. As per Mozaffarian, the senior author of the study and the director of the Food IS Medicine Institute at Tufts University, sugar-sweetened beverages are marketed heavily and sold in the low-income-and middle-income nations. This is why the study outcome reported such drastic numbers from Latin America, the Caribbean and the sub-Saharan Africa. "Not only are these communities consuming harmful products, but they are also often less well equipped to deal with the long-term health consequences," Mozaffarian told The Washington Post.

What Exactly Is Type 2 Diabetes?

In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas is not able to keep up with the increased demands of insulin production. So, it occurs when the body does not use insulin properly and thus it results in high blood sugar levels.

There are some early symptoms of Type 2 diabetes:

• Starting to feel thirsty
• Confused thinking
• Dry mouth
• Takes more time for wounds to heal
• Burning or tingling in hands or feet
• Irritability
• Feeling hungry
• Fatigue
• Unintentional weight loss
• Urinating excessively
• Inflamed or red gums

Who Are At Risk?

It is more common in people who are older than 45. People who have a family history of developing, or are overweight, have obesity, are a smokers or have gestational diabetes are at more risk of developing type 2 diabetes.