Study links climate change to increased sugar consumption
New research suggests that rising heat from climate change is pushing Americans to consume more sugary drinks and treats -- with some potential health risks.
Even as the U.S. heads into cooler months, climate change is driving hotter overall temperatures, and new research suggests that rising heat is pushing Americans to consume more sugary drinks and frozen treats -- with some potential health risks.
Researchers analyzed food purchases from U.S. households between 2004 and 2019 and compared them with local weather data. For every 1.8-degree Fahrenheit increase in temperature, sugar consumption rose by 0.7 grams per person per day. Most of it was in soda, juice and frozen desserts.
The findings were published Monday in the journal Nature Climate Change.
"Public health issues related to sugar consumption have been broadly discussed, but if we consider the interaction with the climate change, it will make things worse," lead study author Pan He told CNN. She is a lecturer in environmental science and sustainability at Cardiff University in the U.K.
The study found that the largest increases in sugar consumption occurred among lower-income households and those with less education.
These groups already tend to consume more sugary products, partly because sweetened foods and drinks are often cheaper and easier to access.
Researchers estimate that added sugar intake could rise by nearly 3 grams a day nationwide by 2095 if global warming continues at its current pace.
Too much added sugar increases the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease, according to the American Heart Association, which recommends limiting added sugars to 36 grams per day for men and 25 grams for women.
"Evidence on how [extreme heat] changes eating patterns is still relatively scarce,'' Charlotte Kukowski, a researcher at the University of Cambridge in the U.K., told CNN.
The research "highlights a less-discussed channel through which climate change can affect human well-being," she said.
"What's particularly worrying is that the most vulnerable groups -- those with fewer resources to adapt -- are both most exposed to warming and most at risk of diet-related diseases," Kukowski added.
More information
The American Heart Association has more on sugar intake.
Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
