A warming climate is fueling Americans’ craving for sugar, according to new research that links rising temperatures to increased consumption of sodas, frozen desserts, and other sweetened products.
The study, published Monday in Nature Climate Change, found that as daily temperatures climb between 54 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit (12–30°C), the average American consumes an additional 0.4 grams of added sugar per degree. At 54 degrees, daily added sugar averages just over 2 grams; at 86 degrees, it exceeds 15 grams.
That shift translates to more than 100 million extra pounds of added sugar consumed nationwide each year compared with 15 years ago. Researchers from the U.S. and the U.K. say the trend is most pronounced among people with lower incomes, less education, or outdoor jobs.
“Climate change is shaping what you eat and how you eat, and that might have a bad effect on your health,” said co-author Duo Chan, a climate scientist at the University of Southampton.
Health implications
While the daily increase is small — less than a candy bar — experts warn the cumulative effect is significant. Dr. Robert Lustig, an endocrinologist at the University of California, San Francisco, noted that among low-income groups, even one sugary soda per day raises diabetes risk by nearly 30%.
Temperature-driven thirst, Lustig added, plays a role in the nation’s obesity epidemic.
The findings also highlight inequities: households with lower incomes and less education saw far greater increases in sugar consumption during hot weather. Men and outdoor workers consumed more sugary drinks, while Asian households showed little change. White households recorded the largest increases.
How the study was done
Lead author Pan He, an environmental scientist at Cardiff University, and her colleagues analyzed household purchase records from 40,000–60,000 U.S. families between 2004 and 2019, alongside detailed weather data including temperature, wind, humidity, and precipitation. Pandemic-era consumption was excluded.
The results were compared against American Heart Association guidelines, which recommend limiting daily added sugar to 36 grams for men and 25 grams for women.
A widening gap
Experts warn that warming-driven sugar consumption could worsen existing health disparities. “The rate of impact is larger in households where people make less money or are less educated,” said Dr. Courtney Howard of the Global Climate and Health Alliance. “These groups tend to have lower baseline health status, so this magnifies existing health inequalities.”
The United States has already warmed by 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit (1.2°C) since 1895, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. With further warming expected, researchers caution that sugar intake — and its health consequences — are likely to climb.
Still, some experts urge perspective. Kristie Ebi, a climate and health researcher at the University of Washington, said other climate-driven risks may ultimately prove more pressing than rising sugar consumption.
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