Sugary drinks are the largest source of added sugars in the American diet.1 The reason sugary drinks increase
the risk of type 2 diabetes is because they contribute to weight gain, which can lead to obesity (an established
risk factor for type 2 diabetes). One study found that participants who consumed large amounts of sugary drinks
had a 26 percent higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those who consumed far fewer sugary drinks.2
1 Welsh, J.A., Sharma, A.J., Grellinger, L., Vos, M.B. (2011). Consumption of added sugars is decreasing in the United States. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 94, No. 3, pp. 726-734.
2 Malik et al. (2010). Sugar-sweetened beverages and risk of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes: A meta-analysis. Diabetes Care, 33(11): 2477-83. Epub 2010, Aug. 6. Review.
