Health specialists warn that rising sugar consumption from drinks and packaged foods, often hidden, can lead to early onset of diseases like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular problems, prompting calls for better consumer awareness and label reading.
Health specialists are warning that sugar intake can rise far more quickly than many people realise, especially through drinks and packaged foods that do not always taste obviously sweet. In remarks published by Habertürk, Dr Mustafa Duman, an endocrinology and metabolism specialist at İzmir Katip Çelebi University Atatürk Training and Research Hospital, said the key issue is not sugar alone, but how much is consumed, how often it is eaten and what form it takes. He pointed to bottled sauces, snacks, soft drinks and flavoured coffees as some of the most common hidden sources.
Duman used fruit juice as a simple example of how whole foods differ from processed ones. Eating whole fruit, he said, provides fibre along with water, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and that fibre slows the release of sugar into the bloodstream. By contrast, juice delivers the sugar quickly and without the same sense of fullness. The World Health Organisation says free sugars should make up less than 10% of daily energy intake, with below 5% offering additional health benefits, and notes that free sugars include those in fruit juice and fruit juice concentrates. For a 2,000-calorie diet, that lower target is roughly 25 grams a day.
One of Duman’s central warnings was about sweetened drinks. He said a 100-millilitre serving of a typical soft drink contains about 10 grams of sugar, which means a standard 330-millilitre can can contain around 33 grams. On that basis, he said, a single can can already exceed the World Health Organisation’s recommended daily limit at the stricter level. Johns Hopkins Medicine similarly advises that, for a 2,000-calorie diet, the ideal added-sugar target is about 25 grams per day.
The doctor also stressed that sugar habits often start in childhood. According to his remarks, children’s preferences are shaped by adults, and a diet high in sugar can displace more nourishing foods such as milk, eggs and yoghurt. He said this can contribute to insulin resistance early in life and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes later on. Excess sugar intake, he added, may also be linked with fatty liver disease, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and cholesterol problems.
Duman urged shoppers to read ingredient lists rather than relying on the front of the pack. Words such as “fit”, “healthy”, “natural” or “fruit-flavoured”, he said, do not guarantee that a product is free of added sugar. He advised consumers to look for ingredients including glucose syrup, fructose syrup, maltodextrin and fruit juice concentrate, which can indicate added sweetness even when the label seems reassuring. The broader message from the World Health Organisation is similar: reducing free sugars across the lifespan is one of the most effective dietary steps people can take to lower the risk of non-communicable disease.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
