A 2025 Brigham Young University meta-analysis of more than 500,000 people found that the source of sugar \u2014 whether in drinks, desserts, or whole foods \u2014 can influence the risk of type 2 diabetes.A 2024 study from Lund University examined nearly 70,000 participants to understand how different forms of added sugar relate to cardiovascular disease.Together, these findings suggest that not all sugars, or the ways we consume them, affect long-term health in the same way.<\/p>\n
In 1977,\u00a0The New York Times<\/a>\u00a0investigated whether sugar was a “villain in disguise,” laying out a case against the sweetener. Around that time, the paper reported, a Senate committee on nutrition began urging Americans to curb their intake. However, that warning appears to have had little to no effect, as\u00a0added sugar consumption increased<\/a>\u00a0by 30% from 1977 to 2010. In 2020, the U.S. government reiterated its warning,\u00a0urging Americans<\/a>\u00a0to limit added sugar intake to no more than 6% of daily calories. As one recent study suggests, however, authorities may want to be more specific about which type of sugar to avoid, as a little slice of cake may not be what you should be worried about.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n In 2024, researchers from Lund University published findings in Frontiers of Public Health on added sugar intake and its association with the incidence of various cardiovascular diseases. To examine these associations, the researchers collected data from two cohort studies, the Swedish Mammography Cohort and the Cohort of Swedish Men, both of which included diet questionnaires and tracked participants from 1997 to 2009.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n The team parsed the data, removing exclusionary material, including independent risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and ended with a massive sample size of almost 70,000 people. Next, they analyzed that group’s sugar consumption across three categories: sugar “toppings” like honey, treats like cookies and pastries, and sweetened beverages like soda. They also tracked the incidence of seven cardiovascular diseases: two types of stroke, heart attacks, heart failure, aortic aneurysms, atrial fibrillation, and aortic stenosis.\n<\/p>\n Then, they tracked those nearly 70,000 people until they either died or reached the follow-up period in 2019. During that 10-year window, 25,739 participants were diagnosed with a cardiovascular disease. The team used those participants’ data to categorize the different types of sugar and their effects on various cardiovascular diseases. They found that consuming sweet drinks was “worse for your health than any other form of sugar” because it appears to increase the risk of ischemic stroke, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and abdominal aortic aneurysm.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cLiquid sugars, found in sweetened beverages, typically provide less satiety than solid forms \u2014 they make you feel less full \u2014 potentially leading to overconsumption,\u201d Suzanne Janzi, PhD candidate at Lund University and the article\u2019s corresponding author,\u00a0said in a statement<\/a>. \u201cContext also matters \u2014 treats are often enjoyed in social settings or special occasions, while sweetened beverages might be consumed more regularly.\u201d<\/p>\n In defense of other vehicles for added sugar, the researchers found that enjoying an occasional treat was actually associated with better health outcomes than abstaining from sweets entirely.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \u201cThis might reflect underlying dietary behaviors \u2014 individuals consuming very little sugar might have very restrictive diets or might be limiting sugar due to pre-existing health conditions,\u201d Janzi explained. \u201cWhile our observational study cannot establish causation, these findings suggest that extremely low sugar intake may not be necessary or beneficial for cardiovascular health.\u201d\n<\/p>\n