Headline: Sugary Drinks Linked to Millions of New Diabetes and Heart Disease Cases Annually, Study Finds
Subhead: Global health inequalities worsen as low- and middle-income countries bear the brunt of preventable illnesses.
Article:
Beverages loaded with sugar are responsible for over 2.2 million new diabetes cases and 1.1 million new heart disease cases annually worldwide, according to a recent study published in Nature Medicine. The research highlights the widening global health inequalities, with low- and middle-income countries disproportionately affected, as reported by The Guardian.
The global analysis found that sugary drinks contributed to nearly a quarter (24%) of new diabetes cases in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2020. In sub-Saharan Africa, the region with the highest percentage increase in diabetes cases from 1990 to 2020, sugary drinks were linked to more than one in five (21%) new diabetes cases and over one in ten (11%) new heart disease cases.
Colombia, Mexico, and South Africa were particularly hard hit, with sugary drinks responsible for 48%, 30%, and 27.6% of new diabetes cases, respectively, and contributing to heart disease cases in Mexico and South Africa as well. Experts warn that the widespread consumption and marketing of sugary beverages in low- and middle-income countries, coupled with limited health education, exacerbate the global health crisis.
Call to Action:
To combat this growing issue, researchers urge implementation of health policies such as public awareness campaigns, sugary drink advertising regulations, and taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages. Mexico, which has one of the highest sugary drink consumption rates, introduced a tax on these drinks in 2014.
Local Perspective (for Romania):
In Romania, Law no. 296/2023, amended by Emergency Ordinance no. 115/2023, subjects foods containing added sugar exceeding 10 grams per 100 grams to a 19% VAT rate. Exceptions are cozonaci, biscuits, and certain infant formulas, which maintain a 9% VAT rate despite their added sugar content.
Sources:
- The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/jan/06/global-health-inequalities-sugary-drinks-diabetes-heart-disease-africa-latin-america-influencers
- Nature Medicine: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-025-01553-0
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