A study conducted by the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, published on October 3 in Nature Communications, unveils intriguing findings regarding the consumption of sugary beverages across various demographics and regions from 1990, 2005, to 2018.
The research taps into the Global Dietary Database to showcase that while there’s an overall global uptick in sugary drink intake—nearly 16% over the 28 years—dramatic variances appear when delving into specific regions and demographic groups.
Key Takeaways from the Study:
Global Trends: The general global pattern indicates an escalation in sweetened drink consumption. However, regional disparities are stark.
For example, in 2018, the average global individual intake was 2.7 servings of sugary drinks per week, yet this ranged from 0.7 servings in South Asia to 7.8 in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Demographic Insights: Male individuals and younger populations were observed to have higher sugary drink intake than their female and older counterparts.
However, the influence of factors like education and residing area (rural/urban) were more nuanced and significantly impacted by the specific region.
Regional Peculiarities: Adult individuals with higher education were more likely to consume sugary drinks in regions like Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America/Caribbean, whereas in the Middle East/North Africa, the opposite was apparent.
Notably, some of the peak intakes globally were among urban, highly educated adults in Sub-Saharan Africa (12.4 servings per week) and Latin America/the Caribbean (8.5 servings per week).
National Spotlight: At a country-specific level, nations like Mexico (8.9), Ethiopia (7.1), the United States (4.9), and Nigeria (4.9) showcased notably high weekly sugary drink servings per individual when juxtaposed with countries like India, China, and Bangladesh (each 0.2).
Socio-Economic Factors: The socio-economic dimension also played a pivotal role, particularly in regions like Sub-Saharan Africa, where the largest increase in consumption was recorded (+2.99; +81.9%).
Fluctuating Patterns: Certain regions displayed fluctuating patterns in intake over time.
For instance, high-income countries saw rises and subsequent falls in intake, whereas Latin America/Caribbean experienced a decrease followed by an increase, both essentially reverting to 1990 levels by 2018.
Other regions experienced modest and consistent increases over the studied period.
Pondering Over Influencing Factors:
While exact reasons for these patterns weren’t identified, researchers postulated possible influencing factors:
The pervasive reach and potentially targeted marketing strategies of the soda and food industry.
Associations between Western diets and socio-economic status.
In certain regions, soda might at times be more accessible than clean water, positioning it as a go-to beverage option.
Policy Implications and Future Directions:
Despite endeavors to dampen their appeal, sugary beverages have seen an upward trajectory in intake over recent decades.
This evokes a pressing need to formulate and implement robust, evidence-informed policies, both at national and targeted demographic levels, to mitigate their consumption and associated health repercussions, argues Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist and Jean Mayer Professor of Nutrition at the Friedman School.
Moreover, the researchers advocate for further exploration into sugary drink consumption among children and adolescents, the global impact of soda taxes, and a deeper understanding of consumption patterns across subpopulations within countries.
Further examination of other sweetened beverage categories, such as milk, coffees, and teas, also emerges as a crucial frontier to explore in future studies.
In essence, these findings underscore a vital directive for policymakers, health professionals, and researchers alike: to collaboratively navigate through the complex web of factors influencing sugary beverage consumption and formulate strategies that safeguard public health across diverse demographic and geographic landscapes.
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The research findings can be found in Nature Communications.
