Regular consumption of sugary drinks like soda, fruit juice, and energy or sports drinks could significantly raise your risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D), according to a new global study by researchers at Brigham Young University (BYU), USA.
Published in the journal Advances in Nutrition, the study analyzed data from over half a million people across multiple continents. Researchers found that each additional 350 ml serving of sugar-sweetened beverages per day increased the risk of T2D by 25%, with no safe lower threshold. Even fruit juice was linked to risk increases, with an extra 250 ml serving daily raising the risk by 5%.
“This is the first study to draw clear dose-response relationships between different sugar sources and type 2 diabetes risk,” said Karen Della Corte, BYU nutritional science professor. “It highlights why drinking your sugar, whether from soda or juice, is more problematic for health than eating it.”
Unlike sugars in whole fruits, dairy, or whole grains, which come with fiber and other nutrients that slow glucose absorption, sugary beverages deliver isolated sugars that overwhelm the liver, increase fat buildup, and lead to insulin resistance, the researchers warned.
The findings support the need for stricter public health guidelines on liquid sugar intake, especially given the global rise in type 2 diabetes cases.
