Excess Sugar kills 184,000 per year; study reveals

In a recent report, a group of researchers has estimated that around 133,000 people died from diabetes due to the consumption of sugar sweetened beverages. It was also mentioned that around 45,000 people died globally from cardiovascular diseases which arises from the consumption of sugary drinks. Another 6,450 people had died of cancer which was linked to beverages. The researchers at the Tufts University say that soda and other sugary drinks can lead to conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular problems and even cancer.

The study also indicated that an estimated 184,000 people die each year as a result of the sugar linked to these diseases. This is not the first time that sugar has been held responsible for deaths as its excessive consumption can cause some serious problems to the human body. The added sugar is one the most dangerous forms and does not contain any essential nutrients. It is also very bad for the teeth. The other thing about sugar is that it is high in fructose content. When it enters the body, the fructose is changed into glycogen which is stored in the liver for later use. Now, if you keep on eating or drinking substances that are high in sugar content, the glycogen keeps getting accumulated inside your body. If continued for a while, it can lead to fatty liver and to all sorts of other serious problems.

Other effects of sugar may lead to Diabetes, Type II Diabetes, and Cancer. Sugar consumption also promotes fat formation and storage in the body which leads to other diseases. Sugar is essential for the body in controlled amounts to maintain balance in the body but excess amounts can prove to be really harmful. Rachel Beck, dietician with Cerro Gordo Dept. of Public Health said,” the biggest thing is just being aware of the foods that have added sugars in our diet besides sweets and sugars and beverages. It’s also in a lot of our packaged processed foods and foods that we probably would not think of.” She also mentioned that a excess sugar consumption can lead to excessive weight gain. It’s also linked to certain types of inflammation in human bodies which can lead to heart diseases and could also be the reason why an increase in the number of cancer cases can be seen.

The sugar related problems are quite high in the US as it is ranked 4th in the world and sees more than 124 million deaths. However, Mexico topped the list with more than 400 million deaths that were linked to sugar complications. The research was conducted between 1980 and 2010 in 51 countries and fruit juices were not included in the research.

Citations:
http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/early/2015/06/25/CIRCULATIONAHA.114.010636.full.pdf