ATLANTA — Sugar-sweetened drinks can leave a sour taste, which could impact mortality rates, according to a new study. “This is a public health crisis that requires urgent action,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist and director of the Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University.
The study was published Monday in the journal natural medicineanalyzed global data on sugar-sweetened beverages consumed worldwide, observational and randomized studies, and the prevalence of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
The researchers created an evidence-based comparative risk model and estimated that sugary drinks “cause more than 330,000 deaths annually from diabetes and cardiovascular disease,” Mozaffarian said. .
The problem is particularly acute in Latin America and the Caribbean, where the number of beverage-related cardiovascular disease cases was highest, and in sub-Saharan Africa, where sugar-sweetened beverages had the highest number of type 2 diabetes cases. He added that there is. Researcher’s model.
The study also looked at the demographics of those most affected by sugary drinks: young, urban, highly educated men, said Toby Smithson, registered dietitian and senior manager at the American Diabetes Association. said. She was not involved in the study.
“The time has come to pay attention to this tragic and preventable suffering and prioritize addressing it,” Mozaffarian said in an email.
Why is liquid sugar so fast-acting?
Because the study did not test any actions or interventions on a control group, the researchers of the new study cannot say that sugary drinks cause diabetes or cardiovascular disease, but can only estimate the impact.
Although researchers collected valuable data from 184 countries, the study did not take into account the increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease among all income levels and high-risk ethnic groups, Smithson said.
But the finding that sugar-sweetened drinks are harmful makes sense, Mozaffarian said, as many studies have shown a link between such drinks and negative health effects.
Liquid sugar does not require the same breakdown process as solid foods, so it is absorbed more quickly by the digestive system.
–Suzanne Janzi, Lund University
Sugar-sweetened beverages contain “empty calories,” or calories that have no nutritional benefit, Smithson said. They’re also a source of fast-acting carbohydrates that enter the bloodstream and quickly raise blood sugar levels, she added.
Suzanne Junge, a PhD student in nutritional epidemiology at Sweden’s Lund University, previously said that empty sugar in liquid form is even more harmful than the sugar found in desserts and sweet foods. She was not part of the latest study.
“Liquid sugar does not require the same breakdown process as solid foods, so it is absorbed more quickly in the digestive system,” Junge said in an email. “Solid sugars are often part of foods that contain other nutrients such as fiber, protein, and fat.”
These nutrients slow digestion, so sugar is released into the bloodstream more slowly, she said.
The fat, fiber, and protein found in solid foods can help you feel fuller for longer, but liquid sugar often doesn’t, which can lead to appetite dysregulation and calorie overconsumption. he added.
“Different sources of added sugar have different consumption patterns, which may further explain why their association with cardiovascular disease risk is different,” Junge said.
Could alternative sweeteners be the solution?
What about drinks sweetened with something other than sugar? They may be better, but they’re not the answer, Mozaffarian says.
“As research continues to grow, we are finding that both natural sweeteners and artificial low-calorie sweeteners are not harmless and can pose health risks. “It should be considered a less harmful alternative,” he said.
For example, artificial sweeteners can be a good alternative in moderation for diabetics who are used to sugary drinks, Smithson said.
“By preparing foods that people are accustomed to eating in a diabetes-friendly way, we can meet people who are providing support to manage diabetes effectively,” she said. Ta.
But instead of relying on artificial sweeteners, Mozaffarian advises switching straight to sugar-free drinks, such as soda, unsweetened tea or coffee, or plain water.
Hydration is important for managing blood pressure, blood sugar levels, internal body temperature and digestion, Smithson said.
“The best drink to stay hydrated is water,” she said in an email. “People who don’t like plain water can jazz up their drinks by drinking water infused with sliced lemons, limes, or fresh herbs, or by using sugar-free sparkling water.” .”
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