If you’re still struggling with a soda habit, this new research might be just what you need to abstain from the sweet stuff: About 180,000 deaths around the world may be associated with sugar-sweetened beverages each year, according to a new study presented today at the American Heart Association’s spring meeting in New Orleans. In fact, about 25,000 U.S. deaths were linked to the consumption of sugary drinks in 2010 alone.
To come to this conclusion, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health looked at the amount of sugary drinks being consumed worldwide, as well as the number of deaths related to obesity and diabetes (two proven long-term effects of consuming too much sugar and too many calories). Based on previous research, they knew how the consumption of these beverages would factor into a person’s risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers. From there, they were able to determine how many of those deaths were likely caused by sugar-laden drinks. And they weren’t just looking at something you buy in a Big Gulp cup—sugar-sweetened beverages include sports drinks and fruit juices, as well as sodas.
“When you drink a sugary beverage, you’re consuming a large number of calories, but it doesn’t make you feel full and it doesn’t have a lot of other nutritional value,” says study co-author Gitanjali Singh, PhD, postdoctoral research fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health. Plus, all that sugar can disrupt your body’s ability to regulate blood sugar levels. The result is a lethal combination: Not only are you packing on extra pounds, but you’re also screwing with your blood sugar, which can set you up for diabetes.
The American Health Association recommends cutting yourself off after you’ve consumed 450 calories from sugar-sweetened beverages each week. “Ideally, it would be better to limit consumption as much as possible,” says Singh.
Need help stepping away from the sweet stuff? Here, more motivation and strategies for skipping sugary drinks:
How Much Sugar Is In That Coffee?
Know Your Daily Liquid Calorie Intake
Unhealthiest Juices In America
More from Women’s Health:
Curb Your Sweet Tooth
Drinking Alcohol to Shrink?
The Sugar Calorie Quiz
