Roundup: Sugary Drinks Linked to Rise in Diabetes, Heart Disease Globally; and More News

Global Study Details Concerning Impact of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages on Diabetes, Heart Disease

A large-scale new study reveals the concerning impact that sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) have on global health, linking them to an estimated 340,000 deaths each year from type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The research, published in Nature, also highlights a significant rise in SSB consumption in regions such as sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, where the health burden is especially severe.

The study, one of the largest efforts to assess the global health impact of Western eating habits, estimates that sugary drinks are responsible for 2.2 million additional cases of type 2 diabetes and 1.2 million cases of cardiovascular disease in 2020 alone. While the consumption of sugary beverages has previously been linked to health issues worldwide, these regions have experienced the most significant increases in intake. This surge is partially due to soda companies targeting developing nations as sales in North America and Europe decline.

These findings represent a dramatic rise in health risks compared to previous studies. A 2015 study estimated that sugary drinks were responsible for 184,000 deaths worldwide in 2010. The stark increase to 340,000 underscores the growing global health crisis linked to the rise in sugary drink consumption.

The dangers of sugary drinks are well-known. These beverages — including sodas, energy drinks, and sweetened juices — provide empty calories and contribute to weight gain, liver damage, and a range of chronic diseases. Over time, regular consumption of sugary drinks can lead to obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and Type 2 diabetes, a condition that can cause blindness, amputations, and even premature death.

Dariush Mozaffarian, M.D., the study’s lead author and director of the Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University, hopes the findings will spur global efforts to reduce sugary drink consumption, particularly in low-income countries where healthcare systems struggle to manage diet-related diseases.

“Sugar-sweetened beverages are heavily marketed and sold in low- and middle-income nations. Not only are these communities consuming harmful products, but they are also often less well equipped to deal with the long-term health consequences,” said Dr. Mozaffarian, in a statement.

The study is part of the Global Dietary Database, a project launched in 2008 and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The database collects detailed dietary information from around the world, with a focus on regions that have historically lacked reliable health data. This data has been crucial in understanding the rise of obesity as Western-style diets spread across the globe, affecting both adults and children. According to a recent Lancet study, over one billion people are now obese, and global obesity rates have more than doubled since 1990.

The study includes data from 1990 to 2020 and incorporates findings from 450 other studies across 181 countries. While observational in nature, the results provide a comprehensive picture of how sugary drink consumption contributes to the rising global health crisis.

The study revealed some patterns in sugary drink consumption. For example, men generally consume more sugary drinks than women, and soda intake tends to be higher among well-educated individuals, particularly in regions like sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America. Conversely, in the Middle East and North Africa, soda consumption is higher among those with lower educational levels.

Comparatively, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia had lower rates of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease linked to sugary drinks. However, the study did not include data on sugar-sweetened tea and coffee, which are commonly consumed in these regions, and could potentially alter the findings.

Slight Obesity Rate Decline in U.S.: A Glimpse of Hope?

For the first time in more than a decade, the U.S. adult obesity rate showed a slight decline in 2023, sparking hope that the country may be on the verge of reversing its obesity epidemic. However, the decline was slight, with the adult obesity decreasing from 46 percent in 2022 to 45.6 percent in 2023.

While experts are cautious about calling this a trend, the study's findings suggest that a combination of factors, including the rise of weight loss medications, could be influencing a possible shift.

The study, published in JAMA Health Forum, analyzed body mass index (BMI) data from more than 16.7 million adults over a decade, spanning from 2013 to 2023. BMI, though widely used, is a limited tool for measuring obesity, as it doesn’t account for factors like muscle mass or fat distribution. Nonetheless, it remains a standard metric in large-scale health studies.

One of the most notable results from this study was the geographical variance in obesity trends. The South saw the most significant decline, particularly among women and older adults (ages 66 to 75). This region also had the highest uptake of weight loss drugs, including GLP-1 medications, which may explain part of the decline. However, researchers caution that more data is needed to draw a clear connection between the use of these drugs and the drop in obesity.

Benjamin Rader, M.D., a computational epidemiologist at Boston Children’s Hospital and an author of the study, stressed that while obesity was declining overall, there were disparities among different racial and ethnic groups. For example, obesity rates dropped among Black Americans, while Asian Americans saw an increase. This regional and demographic variability points to the complexity of the obesity epidemic and the multiple factors influencing it.

The Role of Weight Loss Medications

The timing of the obesity decline aligns with the increased availability of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. These medications, originally developed for diabetes treatment, have garnered attention for their effectiveness in reducing appetite and promoting weight loss.

However, researchers urge caution in attributing the decline to the rise of weight loss drugs. While these medications are promising, they are just one part of the obesity treatment landscape. Furthermore, weight loss drugs can be expensive and not universally accessible. This could skew data, as individuals without insurance or those who pay out-of-pocket for these medications might not be captured in the study’s insurance claims data, the researcher said.

A more comprehensive study, including other medications and lifestyle factors, would offer a clearer picture of how these drugs are influencing obesity trends, experts say.

The study’s authors also considered other factors that might have contributed to the decline, such as the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on individuals with obesity in the South. The pandemic exacerbated health disparities, with obesity being a significant risk factor for severe illness and death. The study acknowledges that these public health challenges may have affected the data in ways that aren’t fully understood.

While the results from this study offer a glimmer of hope, they highlight the complexity of the obesity epidemic and the need for further research into the role of medications, lifestyle changes, and broader health policies, the study’s authors said.

Rising Whooping Cough Cases: What You Need to Know and How to Protect Yourself

After a lull during the pandemic, cases of whooping cough, also known as pertussis, are on the rise across the United States. As of the latest updated from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 28,000 cases in 2024 – that represents a six-fold increase compared to the same period in 2023.

With this rise, it's crucial for both parents and adults to be aware of the symptoms, risks, and preventive measures for this highly contagious respiratory illness, public health officials emphasize.

Whooping cough is a bacterial infection of the respiratory system, marked by severe coughing fits that can make it hard to breathe. In the past, pertussis was one of the leading causes of childhood death in the U.S., with more than 200,000 cases annually before the vaccine was introduced in the 1940s. While vaccination has significantly reduced cases, the rise in infections in recent years signals the ongoing need for awareness and prevention.

At first glance, whooping cough may seem like a common cold. However, it typically progresses to severe, uncontrollable coughing fits that can last for weeks. These coughing spells often end with a characteristic "whoop" sound when the person inhales. Early symptoms include a runny nose, mild cough, and low-grade fever, but as the illness advances, coughing becomes more intense and may be followed by vomiting or exhaustion.

While most severe in infants and young children, adults can also contract whooping cough, experiencing milder symptoms. However, it can still be disruptive and highly contagious, spreading easily through coughing or sneezing.

Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent whooping cough. The CDC recommends the Tdap vaccine for everyone 7 years and older, including pregnant women, to help protect newborns who are particularly vulnerable to severe illness. The DTaP vaccine is given to infants and young children.

Both vaccines—Tdap (for older children and adults) and DTaP (for infants)—have been shown to be safe and effective in preventing pertussis. Yet, a recent survey from the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania found that many Americans are still unfamiliar with the specifics of these vaccines. Only half of those surveyed knew that Tdap protects against whooping cough, along with diphtheria and tetanus, and a third were unsure of what diseases the vaccine covers.

Despite the proven effectiveness of vaccines, public awareness of whooping cough symptoms and the importance of vaccination remains low. A survey revealed that nearly 30 percent of people weren’t sure if pertussis and whooping cough were the same thing, and 30 percent didn’t know a vaccine exists to prevent it.