How many sugar-sweetened beverages do you drink daily on average? An eye-opening study presented last week at an American Heart Assoc. meeting will have you thinking twice about your choice of beverage. Sugar-sweetened sodas, sports drinks and fruit drinks may be associated with about 180,000 deaths around the world each year, according to research presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology Session in New Orleans. About 25,000 deaths in the US each year may be associated with sugar-sweetened drinks. These drinks contribute to excess body weight, which increases the risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and some cancers. Using data collected as part of the 2010 Global Burden of Diseases Study, the researchers linked intake of sugar-sweetened beverages to 133,000 diabetes deaths, 44,000 deaths from cardiovascular diseases and 6,000 cancer deaths. Among the world’s 15 most populous countries, Mexico -- one ofthe countries with the highest per-capita consumption of sugary beverages in the world -- had the highest death rate due to these beverages, with 318 deaths per million adults linked to sugar- sweetened beverage intake. Japan, one of the countries with lowest per-capita consumption of sugary beverages in the world, had the lowest death rate associated with the consumption of sugary beverages, at about 10 deaths due to per million adults. The American Heart Association recommends adults consume no more than 450 calories per week, from sugar-sweetened beverages based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
