Mixed
Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) is causally associated with increased body weight, type 2 diabetes, and coronary heart disease risk, primarily due to poor satiation of liquid calories and metabolic effects of high glycemic load.
Reduce or eliminate sugar-sweetened beverages (soda, sweetened juice, energy drinks) to lower your risk of weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. Liquid calories from sugar do not make you feel full like solid food, leading to higher overall calorie intake. Switching to water or non-caloric beverages is a high-impact change for long-term health.
The consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages has been linked to risks for obesity, diabetes, and heart disease... Intake of sugar-sweetened beverages may cause excessive weight gain owing in part to the apparently poor satiating properties of sugar in liquid form.
Why this rating
Supported by multiple systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and prospective longitudinal studies cited in the paper.
Source
The Public Health and Economic Benefits of Taxing Sugar-Sweetened Beverages
Kelly D. Brownell et al. · New England Journal of Medicine · 2009
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →