### Can Consuming Sugar Lead to Diabetes, and How Can One Prevent It? It's true that eating large amounts of added sugar can increase your risk of developing diabetes, but sugar intake is just one piece of the puzzle. Regularly consuming lots of sugar can raise your risk, but many other factors — including overall diet, lifestyle, and genetics — also play a role. Diabetes occurs when your body cannot effectively regulate blood sugar levels. This can happen when your pancreas stops producing enough insulin, your cells become resistant to insulin, or both. Insulin is a hormone that moves sugar from your bloodstream into your cells. If your body doesn’t make enough insulin or you become insulin resistant, you can develop chronically high blood sugar levels. High blood sugar levels over a long period can increase your risk of heart disease, nerve damage, and kidney damage, so it’s essential to keep them in check. There are two primary types of diabetes: - **Type 1 diabetes** is relatively rare, accounting for about 5–10% of diabetes cases worldwide. - **Type 2 diabetes** accounts for more than 90% of diabetes cases and is primarily triggered by diet and lifestyle factors. Research shows that regularly consuming sugar-sweetened beverages can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes. Data from 175 countries found that sugar intake was significantly correlated with diabetes risk. While high sugar intake increased the risk, low sugar intake reduced it. Although these studies do not prove that sugar causes diabetes, the association is strong. To reduce the adverse effects of high sugar consumption, the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that no more than 10% of your total daily calories come from added sugars. Natural sugars found in fruits and vegetables are not linked to diabetes risk because they are combined with fiber, water, and other nutrients, making them less likely to spike your blood sugar. In addition to cutting back on added sugars, there are many other dietary changes you can make to reduce your diabetes risk: - **Reduce sugar-sweetened beverages**: This one small change could make a big impact. - **Read nutrition labels carefully**: There are over 50 names for sugar in food products. - **Adopt a balanced diet**: A diet rich in fruits, whole grains, lean protein, healthy fats, vegetables, nuts, and coffee is recommended. - **Exercise regularly**: Maintaining the recommended body weight for your age and height and exercising regularly can also help reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes. Excessive amounts of added sugars have been associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, likely due to adverse effects on the liver and a higher risk of obesity. Natural sugars like those found in fruits and vegetables are not linked to diabetes risk, unlike artificial sweeteners. Overall diet quality, body weight, sleep quality, physical activity, and genetics all play a role in the development of the disease.