Climate change and rising temperatures may create a new health threat — more sugary drinks and ice cream in people’s diets, especially among lower-income groups, a new study published in the journal Nature Climate Change suggests.

Sugar is a major contributor to a range of serious illnesses such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease, yet its consumption worldwide has risen sharply in recent decades. Hot days can prompt people to reach more often for sodas, juices or a few extra spoonfuls of ice cream, said co-author Duo Chan from the University of Southampton.

The team of British and American researchers analysed US household purchase data from 2004 to 2019 and compared it with weather conditions. Their modelling shows that for every 1°C increase in the 12–30°C range people consume on average 0.70 grams more sugar per day. The groups most affected are those with lower incomes and less education.

Under the worst-case projections, these groups could be consuming up to an additional five grams of sugar per day by the end of the century, explained lead author Pan Hu from Cardiff University. For comparison — the American Heart Association recommends a maximum of 36 grams of added sugar per day for men and 24 grams for women, while a single can of soda contains about 40 grams. Most Americans consume two to three times those recommendations.

The researchers note that at temperatures above 30°C the increase in sugar consumption levels off, probably because people have already adapted their eating habits. According to Chan, this may be “even worse news,” since dietary changes occur at lower, not only at extreme, temperatures. The study also found a decline in purchases of baked goods on hot days, offset by rises in ice cream and frozen desserts.

The World Health Organization reminds that unhealthy diets are among the four principal risk factors for diseases responsible for over 70% of deaths worldwide. |BGNES