Health
Diabetes, heart disease cases skyrocket — and scientists pinpoint one key reason
Millions of new cases of diabetes and heart disease every year are caused by sugary drinks, according to newly published research.
Tufts University in Boston led the study, which found that about 2.2 million new diagnoses of type 2 diabetes and 1.2 million new cases of cardiovascular disease were attributed to sugar-sweetened sodas and juices each year, according to a press release.
The findings were published in the journal Nature Medicine this week.
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The highest rates were found in Colombia, where 48% of new diabetes cases were linked to sugary drinks, and in Mexico, where nearly a third of cases were attributed to them.
Meanwhile, in Latin America, more than 24% of new diabetes cases were linked to sugary beverages, and 21% in sub-Saharan Africa, the study found.
About 2.2 million new cases of type 2 diabetes and 1.2 million new cases of cardiovascular disease occur each year worldwide due to consuming sugar-sweetened soda and juices, according to the findings of a new study. (iStock)
In South Africa, 27.6% of new diabetes cases and 14.6% of cardiovascular disease cases were attributed to sugary drinks.
Sugary drinks are rapidly digested, causing a spike in blood sugar levels with little nutritional value.
Sugary drinks cause blood sugar to spike because they are “rapidly digested,” the research team said.
When consumed on a long-term basis, these types of beverages, in addition to increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, can also lead to weight gain and insulin resistance, the researchers added.
Men are more likely than women to suffer the consequences of sugary drink consumption, as are younger adults compared to their older counterparts, a new study asserts. (iStock)
Professor Dariush Mozaffarian, the study’s senior author, said in a university press release, “Sugar-sweetened beverages are heavily marketed and sold in low- and middle-income nations.”
He added, “Not only are these communities consuming harmful products, but they are also often less well-equipped to deal with the long-term health consequences.”
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Certain groups are more likely to experience negative health effects from sugary drinks, including men and younger adults, the researchers noted, as news agency SWNS also noted.
New Jersey-based registered dietitian Erin Palinski-Wade, who was not involved in the research, said the findings were to be expected, as diets rich in added sugars are more likely to increase the risk of chronic health conditions, including type 2 diabetes.
When consumed on a long-term basis, these types of beverages can also lead to weight gain and insulin resistance, experts say. (iStock)
“Sugar-sweetened beverages are a major cause of added sugar in the diet and easy to overconsume, as they provide little fullness,” she told Fox News Digital.
“The high calorie content and lack of satisfaction due to little protein, fat or fiber in these drinks can lead to excess calorie consumption, which can lead to weight gain — especially gains in visceral fat (belly fat), which has been found to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes,” she went on.
“Sugar-sweetened beverages are easy to overconsume, as they provide little fullness.”
Palinski-Wade pointed out that there were some limitations to the new research.
“This was an observational study, not a causation study, and shows only an association between diets containing sugar-sweetened beverages and diabetes,” she noted.
“It does not prove that those drinks alone trigger an onset of type 2 diabetes.”
What needs to change?
To remedy the issue, the study authors called for a “multi-pronged approach,” including public health campaigns, regulations on advertising and taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages, the release stated.
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“We need urgent, evidence-based interventions to curb consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages globally, before even more lives are shortened by their effects on diabetes and heart disease,” first author Laura Lara-Castor, now at the University of Washington, said in the release.
Approximately 65% of adults in the U.S. consume sugar-sweetened beverages daily. (iStock)
Mexico implemented a sugary drinks tax in 2014, which has shown to be effective in reducing consumption, the researchers stated.
“Much more needs to be done, especially in countries in Latin America and Africa, where consumption is high and the health consequences severe,” wrote Mozaffarian.
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“As a species, we need to address sugar-sweetened beverage consumption.”
Many different factors are involved in insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, Palinski-Wade noted.
“As a species, we need to address sugar-sweetened beverage consumption.”
“However, reducing your intake of sugar-sweetened beverages can go a long way toward improving overall blood sugar regulation and future health.”
The new research was supported by the Gates Foundation, the American Heart Association and Mexico’s National Council for Science and Technology.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for further comment.
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Bunnie XO, the wife of country singer Jelly Roll, is discussing how a weight-loss medication may have led to her experiencing a “dark” depression.
During an episode of her podcast “Dumb Blonde,” Bunnie, whose real name is Alyssa DeFord, revealed that she had been taking a new drug by Lilly called retatrutide (reta), which is currently in late-stage trials and not approved by the FDA.
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Bunnie, 45, confirmed that she received her dose from a “reputable wellness center” in Nashville, and felt sick within the first week. Within two weeks, she noticed she looked and felt slimmer. In the fourth week, she increased her dose by one unit, which is when she noticed the “mental numbness.”
“I literally got sent into the worst suicidal depression that I’ve had since 2020,” she said. “I’m talking like it scared me so bad. I didn’t think I was going to make it through the two weeks. Like I was praying to God.”
Bunnie XO, the wife of country singer Jelly Roll, is discussing how a weight-loss medication may have led to her experiencing a “dark” depression. (Christopher Polk/Penske Media via Getty Images)
The podcaster shared how she had “no emotion” and couldn’t listen to music that would typically “bring me joy.”
“You could see like my eyes were black,” she said. “I just drove in silence because I just couldn’t handle anything. It was either overstimulating or it was to the point where it just stole my joy. I had no joy, like nothing to live for. It was so dark.”
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After 20 days off the drug, Bunnie reported that her joy is “finally” returning, calling the experience a “battle.”
“My story is not what’s going to happen to you,” she shared with her listeners. “There’s so many people who are taking reta and love it and all that. But something happened with me.”
“My story is not what’s going to happen to you,” Bunnie XO shared with her listeners. “There’s so many people who are taking Reta and love it and all that. But something happened with me.” (Taylor Hill/WireImage)
Indiana-based drug-maker Lilly confirmed in a statement to Fox News Digital that retatrutide is an “investigational molecule that is legally available only to participants in Lilly’s clinical trials.”
“No one should consider taking anything claiming to be retatrutide outside of a Lilly-sponsored clinical trial,” the spokesperson wrote. “This was not a Lilly product, and the company continues to warn the public about the potential dangers of fake medicines.”
“This was not a Lilly product and the company continues to warn the public about the potential dangers of fake medicines.”
Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel reacted in an interview with Fox News Digital, warning that retatrutide should not be taken while it has still not received FDA approval unless it is part of a clinical trial.
“This drug is new — known as a triple agonist (GLP-1, GIP and glucagon receptor agonist),” he said. “[It] has been linked potentially to depression and suicidal thoughts, as have the GLP-1 drugs, where some studies have shown increased psychiatric risks, so there is a potential link here.”
What is retatrutide?
The drug has received the nickname “GLP-3” because it targets the three hormones, which experts suggest could lead to more substantial weight loss.
Lilly announced results from its phase 3 trial TRIUMPH-4 in December, which tested retatrutide’s effect on weight loss and other health conditions.
“GLP-3s” are positioned to “approach bariatric surgery level outcomes,” although it doesn’t come without risks, one expert said. (iStock)
Participants with obesity and knee arthritis who took a 12-mg dose of retatrutide saw an average weight loss of 71.8 lbs (28.7%) at 68 weeks.
“We believe retatrutide could become an important option for patients with significant weight loss needs and certain complications, including knee osteoarthritis,” a Lilly spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
Seven additional phase 3 trials for retatrutide are expected to wrap up in 2026. The drug could see FDA approval in 2027, according to GoodRx.
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Despite limited data availability on the drug, the medication could also be applied to treat other conditions like type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, cardiovascular risk reduction and metabolic dysfunction, according to GoodRx and other experts.
Siegel confirmed that retatrutide’s side effects can be similar to other GLP-1s, including gastrointestinal symptoms and other rare reactions like pancreatitis, gallstones and heart arrhythmia.
Retatrutide could lead to more substantial weight loss for some patients, according to experts. (iStock)
Philip Rabito, M.D., a specialist in endocrinology, weight loss and wellness in New York City, shared in a previous interview with Fox News Digital that this new class of weight-loss drugs is positioned to “approach bariatric surgery level outcomes” — although it doesn’t come without risks.
“The novel glucagon‑agonist component introduces less‑understood long‑term safety considerations, so it is imperative that patients are followed closely by healthcare professionals experienced with this class of medicines, with cautious, stepwise use, despite the impressive efficacy,” he cautioned.
The mental health connection
The potential link between mental health symptoms and weight-loss drugs is most likely due to the impact on the brain’s reward system, according to Siegel.
“Dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine affect mood and appetite, reduce cravings and can have a positive effect on mood, but also can be negative,” he said. “Somewhat unpredictable.”
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Dr. Peter Balazs, a hormone and weight-loss specialist in New York and New Jersey, noted that any presentation of significant depressive symptoms, particularly those including “psychotic features and suicidal ideation,” requires a full clinical evaluation.
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“It is essential to understand the patient’s complete medical and psychiatric history, including other medical conditions, precise weight change dynamics, concomitant medications and psychosocial stressors,” he said. “Major depressive episodes are multifactorial — attributing them to a single agent without this context is premature.”
Patients should be screened for mental health complications before taking weight-loss medication, experts suggest. (iStock)
Any individual experiencing these symptoms should “seek immediate professional help,” Balazs said.
“We are still learning about the psychiatric effects of these medications, even the ones that have already been approved,” he added.
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Bunnie’s age would typically place her in the perimenopausal stage, which can include “significant fluctuations” in reproductive hormones like estrogen, Balazs noted.
“Estrogen has well-documented neuroprotective and mood-stabilizing effects,” he said. “Its decline can render the brain more vulnerable to stress and dysregulation, potentially precipitating or exacerbating depressive episodes.”
Hormonal changes can impact mood when on a GLP-1 drug, according to experts. (iStock)
Obesity can also cause hormone shifts and inflammation that can interfere with normal brain function, sometimes affecting mood and emotional balance, the expert noted.
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Balazs stressed that experts should be “vigilant” in monitoring symptoms of people taking these medications.
“Until a protocol is established, patients outside clinical trials should not inject these medications,” he cautioned. “Dose and dose-related responses can change the whole experience.”
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The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is launching a study on whether radiation from cellphones could harm Americans’ health.
“The FDA removed web pages with old conclusions about cellphone radiation while HHS undertakes a study on electromagnetic radiation and health research to identify gaps in knowledge, including on new technologies, to ensure safety and efficacy,” HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
The study is part of a strategy report released last year by President Donald Trump’s MAHA Commission, Nixon added.
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The report urges officials to address electromagnetic radiation (EMR) exposure stemming from the widespread use of cellphones, Wi-Fi routers, cell towers and wearable, such as smartwatches.
In 2018, the National Institutes of Health did a study concluding there is “clear evidence” that high exposure to radio frequency radiation (RFR) was associated with cancer in male rats.
The HHS has launched a cellphone radiation study to investigate whether electromagnetic radiation is harmful to people’s health. (iStock)
“In our studies, rats and mice received RFR across their whole bodies. By contrast, people are mostly exposed in specific local tissues close to where they hold the phone,” said senior scientist John Bucher at the time.
Bucher added, “The exposure levels and durations in our studies were greater than what people experience.”
The study did not investigate the RFR that is used for Wi-Fi or 5G networks.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told USA TODAY on Friday that “electromagnetic radiation is a major health concern,” adding that he is “very concerned about it.”
A spokesperson for CTIA, the mobile carrier industry trade group, told Fox News Digital there is no credible evidence linking wireless devices to health problems.
“The FDA removed web pages with old conclusions about cellphone radiation while HHS undertakes a study on electromagnetic radiation and health research to identify gaps in knowledge, including on new technologies, to ensure safety and efficacy,” said an HHS spokesperson. (iStock)
“Radiofrequency energy from Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices, mobile phones and wireless infrastructure has not been shown to cause health problems, according to the consensus of the international scientific community and independent expert organizations around the world,” said the spokesperson.
The World Health Organization has noted on its website that research shows “no adverse health effect has been causally linked with exposure to wireless technologies.”
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In the U.S., cellphones must comply with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) limits on radiofrequency (RF) exposure.
The FCC uses a metric called specific absorption rate (SAR), which tracks how much RF energy the body absorbs. To be sold in the U.S., mobile phones and similar wireless devices must be tested and certified to ensure that they do not exceed 1.6 W/kg (watts per kilogram), averaging over 1 gram of tissue.
In the U.S., cellphones must comply with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) limits on radiofrequency (RF) exposure. (iStock)
The FCC states on its website that there is “no scientific evidence currently establishing a definitive link between wireless device use and cancer or other illnesses.”
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However, the agency does share ways that Americans can reduce exposure — such as shortening the amount of time spent on wireless devices, putting a phone on speaker or using an earpiece “to reduce proximity to the head and thus head exposure.”
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The FCC also recommends increasing the distance between wireless devices and the body, and texting instead of talking when possible.
Fox News Digital reached out to HHS and NIH for additional comment, as well as several major cellphone carriers.
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