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The destructive role of sweetened drinks on the health of people is the issue that health professionals are screaming about worldwide. Established scholars of Tufts University and other institutions, including the WHO and CDC, have drawn attention to the fact that sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), including sodas, energy drinks, and sweetened juices, are leading causes of chronic diseases.

An epic 2025 study in the journal Nature Medicine speculated that 2.2 million new type 2 diabetes diagnoses and 1.2 million new cardiovascular disease diagnoses in the world in 2020 were due to sugary drinks, resulting in the premature demise of approximately 340,000 people. These empty-calorie fluids lead to immediate blood sugar surges, insulin intolerance, inflammation, and weight gain, contrary to solid food.

According to Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian of Tufts, a single daily sugary beverage increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, no matter how active one is. CDC cautions of associations with obesity, tooth decay, gout, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Increased burdens are evident in places such as the Latin American region and sub-Saharan Africa because consumption is on the increase.

WHO professionals recommend governments increase taxes on sugar beverages to reduce consumption and invest in health programs. The swaps, such as water, unsweetened tea, or coffee, can reduce risks significantly. Scholars agree largely to curb or avoid sugary drinks in the long run to find better health.