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A groundbreaking study from Tufts University’s Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy has linked the consumption of sugary drinks to an alarming number of health conditions worldwide. Published in Nature Medicine, the research reveals that each year, sugar-sweetened beverages contribute to 2.2 million new cases of type 2 diabetes and 1.2 million new cases of cardiovascular disease globally.
The report highlights the severe impact in developing nations, where sugary drink consumption is rapidly rising. In Sub-Saharan Africa, over 21% of all new diabetes cases can be attributed to sugary beverages. Meanwhile, Latin America and the Caribbean see nearly 24% of new diabetes cases and more than 11% of new cardiovascular disease cases linked to these drinks.
Countries like Colombia, Mexico, and South Africa are among the hardest hit. In Colombia, more than 48% of all new diabetes cases are tied to sugary drinks. Mexico is not far behind, with nearly a third of new diabetes diagnoses linked to these beverages. South Africa faces similar challenges, with sugary drinks contributing to 27.6% of new diabetes cases and 14.6% of new cardiovascular disease cases.
Sugary beverages, which are rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream, cause a sharp spike in blood sugar levels, offering little nutritional benefit. Over time, regular consumption leads to weight gain, insulin resistance, and metabolic disturbances—factors that significantly increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Dariush Mozaffarian, senior author and director of the Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts, emphasizes that the marketing and availability of sugary drinks in low- and middle-income countries are major contributors to the growing burden of chronic disease. “Not only are these communities consuming harmful products, but they are also less equipped to handle the long-term health consequences,” he says.
The study also finds that as nations develop and incomes rise, sugary drinks become more accessible and desirable. Younger adults and men, in particular, are more likely to suffer the consequences of this consumption.
“The evidence is clear—we need urgent, evidence-based interventions to curb sugary drink consumption globally, before even more lives are shortened by their effects on diabetes and heart disease,” says Laura Lara-Castor, the study’s first author.
The researchers advocate for a multi-faceted strategy to combat the growing epidemic. This includes public health campaigns, regulations on sugary drink advertising, and taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages. Mexico, which already implemented a tax on sugary drinks in 2014, has seen some success in reducing consumption, especially among lower-income individuals. However, Mozaffarian stresses that much more needs to be done, particularly in high-consumption regions of Latin America and Africa.
“This is a global issue,” Mozaffarian concludes. “As a species, we need to address sugar-sweetened beverage consumption to prevent further public health crises.”
The study’s findings are detailed in the article titled “Burdens of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease attributable to sugar-sweetened beverages in 184 countries,” published in Nature Medicine in January 2025. The full article is available for further reading.
For more information:
Laura Lara-Castor, Burdens of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease attributable to sugar-sweetened beverages in 184 countries, Nature Medicine (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41591-024-03345-4
