Sugar-sweetened drinks and risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome
What it found
People who drank the most sugary drinks had a 26% higher chance of getting type 2 diabetes than those who drank almost none.
They also had a 20% higher chance of developing metabolic syndrome.
What they found
Studies in people
Type 2 diabetes risk
People in the highest group of sugary drink intake, usually one or two servings a day, were 26% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. This was compared to people who drank none or less than one serving a month.
Metabolic syndrome risk
Those drinking the most sugary beverages had a 20% higher chance of developing metabolic syndrome compared to those drinking the least.
Dose response for diabetes
Each extra 12-ounce serving of sugary drink per day was linked to a 25% higher chance of developing type 2 diabetes.
Role of obesity
One large study suggested that about half of the link between sugary drinks and type 2 diabetes was due to weight gain. The rest may come from the rapid rise in blood sugar and insulin caused by the liquid sugars.
Other findings
Serving size used
When studies did not state their portion size, the researchers assumed a standard 12-ounce serving. They noted this might slightly overestimate or underestimate actual intake but should not change the overall results much.
What the authors conclude
- They found a clear link between drinking sugary beverages and a higher chance of developing both metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.
- The authors advise limiting these drinks and choosing water instead to lower the risk of chronic diseases related to obesity.
How it was done
Drinking sugary beverages has risen worldwide and is linked to weight gain. The authors wanted to measure how these drinks relate to long-term conditions like type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
They combined results from 11 studies that followed adults over time, tracking between 4 and 20 years. The studies included 310,819 people for the diabetes analysis and 19,431 for the metabolic syndrome analysis. They compared those drinking the most sugary beverages with those drinking the least.
What it can’t tell you
- These studies followed people over time, so they can show a link but cannot prove that sugary drinks directly cause diabetes or metabolic syndrome.
- People who drink many sugary beverages often have other habits that raise disease risk, and the studies may not fully account for all of them.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by NIEHS NIH HHS; NICHD NIH HHS (from the PubMed record).
- Authors work at
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, USA
The paper
- Title
- Sugar-sweetened beverages and risk of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis
- Type
- Meta-analysis
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Malik VS, Popkin BM, Bray GA, Després JP, Willett WC, Hu FB (2010). Sugar-sweetened beverages and risk of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis. Diabetes care. doi:10.2337/dc10-1079Free full textPubMed 20693348DOI
Summary written 1 Oct 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error