Cheaper Sugary Drinks and Alcohol Are Linked to Rising Chronic Diseases and Injuries, WHO Warns

Have you noticed how sugary drinks and alcohol often cost less than healthier options? That lower price may seem harmless at first. But according to new global findings by WHO (World Health Organisation), it comes with a serious long-term cost to health.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that consistently low taxes on sugary drinks and alcoholic beverages are making these products more affordable. This affordability is linked to rising rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancers, and injuries, especially among children, adolescents, and young adults.

How Do Sugary Drinks Affect Your Body Over Time?

Sugary drinks deliver large amounts of sugar in a very short time. Unlike solid food, they do not make you feel full. This makes it easy to consume more calories than your body needs.

Over months and years, regular intake of sugary drinks can lead to weight gain and insulin resistance. This increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, and heart problems. For children and teenagers, early exposure raises the chance of lifelong health issues.

Many people are surprised to learn that even drinks marketed as "energy" or "refreshing" can place strain on the pancreas, heart, and metabolism.

Alcohol And Its Hidden Health Risks

Alcohol affects nearly every organ in the body. While occasional use may seem harmless, regular or excessive intake increases the risk of liver disease, high blood pressure, stroke, certain cancers, and mental health disorders.

Alcohol also impairs judgment and coordination. This raises the risk of road traffic accidents, falls, violence, and other injuries. Young adults are particularly vulnerable, as alcohol-related injuries often occur suddenly and without warning.

Over time, alcohol-related illness can progress quietly until serious damage has already occurred.

Why Does Affordability Influence Health Behaviour?

When sugary drinks and alcohol are cheap and easily available, consumption tends to increase. This is not just a personal choice issue. Human behaviour is strongly influenced by price and access.

When unhealthy options cost less than healthier ones, people, especially younger individuals, are more likely to choose them. Over the years, these habits become routine, increasing the risk of chronic disease.

You may not feel the impact immediately. But these patterns often show their effects later in life, sometimes when treatment becomes complex and costly.

Long-Term Impact On Families And Healthcare

Chronic diseases do not affect just one person. They affect entire families. Caregiving responsibilities, emotional stress, and financial strain often follow.

Hospitals see the consequences every day. Conditions linked to sugary drinks and alcohol are among the most common causes of preventable admissions. Reducing these risks allows healthcare systems to focus more on unavoidable illnesses and emergencies.

Many families exhaust years of savings on a single surgery, cancer treatment, or long hospital stay. Prevention, even through small lifestyle changes, can protect both health and financial stability.

What is WHO's "3 By 35" Initiative?

In response, WHO has launched its 3 by 35 initiative. The aim is to gradually increase the real prices of tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks by 2035.

The idea is simple. As prices rise, consumption falls. Over time, this helps protect health, reduce preventable disease, and ease pressure on healthcare systems.

What This Means For You?

Higher prices may feel inconvenient at first. But from a public health perspective, they can reduce long-term harm, especially for younger populations.

For patients, fewer harmful habits mean a lower risk of chronic disease and injury later in life. Prevention today can reduce the need for treatment tomorrow.

Medicover Hospitals' Perspective

At Medicover Hospitals, prevention is a key part of healthcare. Reducing avoidable disease helps individuals live healthier lives and allows health systems to focus on care that truly cannot be prevented.

Source

Cheaper drinks will see a rise in noncommunicable diseases and injuries