Sugar-sweetened beverages, commonly known as sugary drinks, are leading sources of added sugar in the diets of people worldwide. We have been hearing since childhood that chocolates and sweets cause tooth problems. But we sometimes do not notice how sugar is involved in our daily lives, from daily cups of doodh patti chai (tea) to cold drinks (soda drinks) at events. We consume sugar in almost every form, and we don’t realize its long-term consequences until it’s too late. When we get diagnosed with issues such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, tooth decay, cavities, heart diseases, or a type of arthritis, and many other problems, then we realize how unhealthy a pattern we have followed is. Once the damage is done, it becomes tough to recover.
But wait…What exactly are sugar-sweetened beverages?
Sugary drinks, which are called soft drinks or SSB, refer to any beverage that has added sugar. Sugar could be in the form of high fructose corn syrup, fruit juice concentrates, and many other forms. The most common examples of sugary drinks are soda, cola, sports drinks, tonics, energy juices, milkshakes, and lemonade, among other ads. According to marketing analytics experts, urbanization and beverage marketing are making the consumption of sugary drinks rise dramatically.
Is it really that sweet?
A single teaspoon has 4.2 grams of sugar, and our soda cans, which are easily available everywhere, consist of 7 to 10 teaspoons of sugar. Is it easy now to imagine how much sugar we have consumed till now? Almost all the brands of drinks seen on TV or social media channels every day have additives and extra added sugar. Even sports drinks that claim to be the best in providing carbohydrates, electrolytes, etc., to athletes or sports enthusiasts are just another source of sugar and calories.
But what’s the relationship between sugary drinks with non-communicable diseases?
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are diseases that are long-term diseases, and they are also called chronic diseases. NCDs can be spread from person to person and happen due to factors such as physiological, environmental, lifestyle, or genetic. Poor diet, lack of physical exercise, smoking, passive smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption are a few high-risk factors. NCDs affect people from all age groups, religions, cultures, and countries.
The most common types of NCDs are cardiovascular and respiratory diseases such as stroke, heart attack, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, and asthma. However, the term NCDS is broad and includes a wide range of health problems such as renal, hepatic, endocrine, trauma, disabilities, mental disorders, genetic disorders, gastroenterological diseases, dermatological conditions, and hematological disorders.
In the past, we have called NCDs the diseases of the rich, and they were linked a lot directly to economic growth factors. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), millions of deaths occur every year due to these long-term medical conditions, and people who are affected most by NCDs are from low or middle-income countries. Also, the leading cause of death worldwide is known as NCDs; approximately 71% of the total annual deaths are caused by them.
Beverages that claim to be the best for our health provide many calories and almost zero nutrients. Sugary drinks provide the same or more calories than we get from solid food, but still, we do not feel full after consumption. We cannot compensate for the loss after consumption of sugary drinks by eating less food. So if you are thinking you can eat less biryani and have a full cola, it won’t help you maintain a good diet. You may gain up to 5 pounds each year if you drink even 1 sugary drink every day. Weight gain is something we can fix with a good lifestyle. How about diseases like heart disease or chronic diseases? Such drinks are also linked with a high risk of premature death.
According to Professor Martin Wiseman, International Medical and Scientific Adviser of the World Cancer Research Fund, “One of the major problems with sugar-sweetened drinks is that they provide energy but do not fill you up. This can promote overconsumption of energy and thus weight gain. This effect is compounded when there are low levels of physical activity.”
Is it time to make a switch? But what about my fruit juice, coffee, or chai?
There are only a few possible solutions for sugar addiction or damage caused by sugary drinks, or to have a healthy diet, and that is to drink more water and unsweetened drinks. Start by limiting sugary drinks and then slowly make a switch before it gets too late.
Do you know that limiting the consumption of sugary drinks is part of the cancer prevention recommendations program by the American Institute for Cancer Research? There are clear pieces of evidence from the World Cancer Research Foundation, the World Health Organization, and more reliable organizations regarding weight gain and obesity in both children and adults caused by sugar-sweetened drinks. According to researchers, obesity increases the risks of many types of cancers, such as advanced prostate, stomach, mouth, kidney, and many others. Our dietary goal should be drinking more water and limiting sugary drinks now to maintain adequate hydration. Chai and coffee won’t harm you if consumed without added sugar. There is evidence that says coffee is good for the skin and protects against liver and endometrial cancers. Fruit juices should not be consumed in large quantities as they promote weight gain even with no added sugar. In simple words, we can prevent such diseases by opting for smart choices.
Policy Implications and Health
Sugary drink consumption has increased all over the world, especially in low- and middle-income countries. They are the main contributors to the rapidly increasing rate of obesity. We still need policies to limit sugary drinks in availability and affordability. Also, policies should be there to make clean water available to everyone and restrict false marketing campaigns, as well as put more taxes on such drinks. This will also help achieve the UN goals of a sustainable ecological environment.
One of the successful Initiatives
Awareness campaigns and policies have played a major role in the decrease in sugary drink consumption. One such initiative was taken by NYC, USA, to control sugary drinks, decreasing 35% in sugary consumption every day by adults and decreasing 27% consumption in public high schools from 2007 to 2013.
Can you make a difference as an individual?
A few years ago, we all witnessed an act by the world’s most popular football player, Cristiano Ronaldo. During a press conference, just before the Euro 2020 Opener, he replaced a famous brand of cola drink with water and recommended to the audience, “Drink water.” This innocent act made the cola company wipe out its 5.2 billion market value. Later, a few other athletes also recommended water to the audience. This is the power of the act. This became a sensation on social media, and everyone was talking about it, and people made diet switches.
Even if you are not as impactful as Ronaldo, you can still make a difference by making a switch to better options and making people aware in your circles through word of mouth, tweets, or a blog post. If you are an ammi, you can make your children aware of the effects of sugary drinks and not offer them. If you are into sports, you can inspire your players. If you are a boss, you can inspire people in your organization. There is no doubt that a great responsibility lies on the government and authorities, but we are equally responsible. Let’s make smart choices for us, the people we care about, and our communities. You and I are much more powerful than we think.
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