Can eating too much sugar cause diabetes?

Question

I have frequently heard (even from diabetics) that diets high in sugar can cause (or at least contribute to) diabetes. Others have said it's a common misunderstanding, and there's no demonstrated causal connection between the two, but only correlation.

Can eating sugar-rich foods put you at a higher risk of getting diabetes?

I mean, after doing 10 seconds of research, it should be obvious that for type 2 diabetes unhealthy diet is one of the causes. People who eat lots of sugar don't just eat candy (or sugar from a bowl), they eat lots of other crap. Poor diet = increased risk of type 2 diabetes. — going, Sep 23 '11 at 05:13
“Others have said” – who is that? As @xiaohouzi79 has found out in just 10 seconds of research, the scientific consensus is that bad diet (and yes, this particularly means certain types of sugar) contribute overwhelmingly to all types of diabetes. In summary, I don’t think this is a notable claim. I’ve certainly never heard it. — Konrad Rudolph, Sep 23 '11 at 13:37
I, for one, have heard this claim argued on both sides before. I think the contention is whether it's something specific to *sugar* that contributes to diabetes. I believe there's a common misunderstanding that diabetes is related to insulin and insulin is related to sugar, so it all ties to sugar intake in diet. — mellamokb, Sep 23 '11 at 14:17
@KonradRudolph: believe it or not, the first study really showing a molecular cause->effect link between (high-fat) diet and diabetes has been published only early this year: http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/v17/n9/full/nm.2414.html — nico, Oct 09 '11 at 13:30
@mellamokb: diabetes is related to a malfunction in the control of sugar levels, which are physiologically balanced by the two hormones insuline and glucagone. Mutations in either of these hormones, or in their cognate receptors can be a cause of diabetes. High sugar diet can be another cause, or at least a risk factor. And it's not just about sugar: high-fat diet can lead to diabetes as well. So, in summary, the situation is very complex and it is difficult to generalize. — nico, Oct 09 '11 at 13:36
@nico Nothing against that excellent paper but even without knowing the molecular chain of reaction the causal link between diet and diabetes had already been so well established that overturning it would probably be the greatest scientific surprise of the century. — Konrad Rudolph, Oct 09 '11 at 14:33
@KonradRudolph: sure, what I meant is that the real "chain of event" is not really so clear. Obviously there is a relation between the two, I was just pointing out that we don't really and clearly know (yet) how this relation comes by. — nico, Oct 09 '11 at 16:25
It should be noted that starches are converted to glucose starting in your mouth with the enzyme amylase. So "high sugar" should include all starchy refined foods, flour, pasta, potatoes and rice. — , Nov 10 '11 at 11:45
It should be noted that adding fat to a meal reduces the meal's glycemic index, creating less of a spike in blood glucose levels. However, meals rich in insoluble dietary fiber will also reduce the glycemic index. Reducing the glycemic index theoretically should reduce the probability of developing insulin resistance (type II diabetes). — , Mar 08 '12 at 06:09
@user6344, FYI [recent research](http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130327190328.htm) indicates that fat can also affect blood sugar levels, but later — Benjol, Jun 14 '13 at 12:03

score 24 · Accepted Answer · edited Mar 31 '12 at 13:39

24

Type 2 diabetes is caused by an inactive lifestyle, a diet high in calories, and being overweight also contributes to the chances of getting it. (Type 1 is caused by genetics). This does not mean you can eat as much sugar as you like, because sugar is high in calories, but this is the only link between diabetes and sugar intake. So, in short, yes, excessive sugar intake can contribute to the chances of getting type 2 diabetes, but sugar itself is not the problem.

Myth: Eating too much sugar causes diabetes.

Fact: No, it does not. Type 1 diabetes is caused by genetics and unknown factors that trigger the onset of the disease; type 2 diabetes is caused by genetics and lifestyle factors. Being overweight does increase your risk for developing type 2 diabetes, and a diet high in calories, whether from sugar or from fat, can contribute to weight gain. If you have a history of diabetes in your family, eating a healthy meal plan and regular exercise are recommended to manage your weight.

Source: American Diabetes Association.

edited Mar 31 '12 at 13:39

Oddthinking

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answered Sep 23 '11 at 01:11

“sugar itself is not the problem”. Well, then arsenic itself isn’t the problem of arsenic poisoning – *excessive* arsenic intake is, as well as a predisposition to arsenic poisoning? – Konrad Rudolph Sep 23 '11 at 13:39
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I think his point was that it's a "diet high in *calories*", not a "diet high in sugar" that's linked to Type 2 diabetes. The only link with sugar is that sugar itself is high in calories, but diabetes is not biased towards sugar intake. – mellamokb Sep 23 '11 at 14:15
There is some evidence that Type 1 diabetes can be caused by diet, as well. Specifically, feeding infants cows milk before a certain age has been shown to greatly increase the occurrence of Type 1 diabetes. – Flimzy Sep 23 '11 at 22:03
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Type 1 is characterized by a autoimmune reaction against the pancreatic beta cells, and there is some evidence that anything that unduly keys the immune system up can increase the risk. It may be that the cows milk link arises through that channel. – dmckee --- ex-moderator kitten Sep 24 '11 at 01:10
@mellamokb That's it exactly. – Sep 25 '11 at 02:13
High intake of sugar over a long period can cause your body to become immune to insulin, insulin immunity is a known cause of Type 2 Diabetes. Low calorie diets are now believed to cure Type 2...http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/jun/24/low-calorie-diet-hope-cure-diabetes – Moab Sep 25 '11 at 05:07
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@Moab: **resistent** not *immune*, they mean very different things. – nico Oct 09 '11 at 14:26
total immunity is the final stage of resistance, same problem one is the end stage. They are both immune problems, one is partial one is full on. – Moab Oct 31 '11 at 19:30
@Flimzy Do you have the reference for the cow's milk diabetes link? – matt_black Nov 10 '11 at 18:49
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@matt_black: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199207303270502, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2060453, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3416556, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2226120, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9135963, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9605629, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12116173 – Flimzy Nov 10 '11 at 19:31
sugar may well be the problem, and fat/calories the scapegoat/symptom. The pancreas creates insulin based on blood sugar, direct sugar intake isn't the only way to increase that (as sugar can be synthesised in the body out of other things, notably starch and proteins). – jwenting Nov 14 '11 at 07:32
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This answer doesn't contain any peer-reviewed results, and apparently contradicts other answers which do. – Oddthinking Mar 31 '12 at 13:52
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This answer seems very incomplete. – Sam I Am Mar 31 '12 at 14:35
The theory that oveloading you insulin response by taking too much sugar is a *plausible* hypothesis for a causal link to type 2 diabetes. Evidence is mixed, though the general relationship to diet counts as evidence. But recent research has produced stronger evidence that sugary drinks are specifically linked to diabetes. See http://bit.ly/11odaFP I might write this up as an answer, if I get time. – matt_black Apr 25 '13 at 22:40
@matt_black that's because of the large volume in which they're consumed and the high sugar content of such drinks, if someone were to eat several kilos of candy a day instead of drinking several liters of cola or mountain dew the same would happen. – jwenting Apr 26 '13 at 06:00
@jwenting Quite right. There are several easy ways to consume useless extra sugar. – matt_black Apr 26 '13 at 11:53

score 2 · Answer 2 · edited Jan 03 '18 at 05:21

Yes, probably. Using the same link to the American Diabetes Association (http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/myths/):

Myth: Eating too much sugar causes diabetes.

Fact: The answer is not so simple. Type 1 diabetes is caused by genetics and unknown factors that trigger the onset of the disease; type 2 diabetes is caused by genetics and lifestyle factors.

Being overweight does increase your risk for developing type 2 diabetes, and a diet high in calories from any source contributes to weight gain. Research has shown that drinking sugary drinks is linked to type 2 diabetes.

The American Diabetes Association recommends that people should limit their intake of >sugar-sweetened beverages to help prevent diabetes. - See more at: http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/myths/#sthash.ouOhB8if.dpuf

Also, there are studies which show correlation between high glycaemic index and risk of diabetes and obesity. Source: Effects of dietary glycaemic index on adiposity, glucose homoeostasis, and plasma lipids in animals.

Can eating too much sugar cause diabetes?

2 Answers2