New research suggests that rising heat from climate change is pushing Americans to consume more sugary drinks and treats -- with some potential health risks. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Even as the U.S. heads into cooler months, climate change is driving hotter overall temperatures, and new research suggests that rising heat is pushing Americans to consume more sugary drinks and frozen treats -- with some potential health risks.
Researchers analyzed food purchases from U.S. households between 2004 and 2019 and compared them with local weather data. For every 1.8-degree Fahrenheit increase in temperature, sugar consumption rose by 0.7 grams per person per day. Most of it was in soda, juice and frozen desserts.
The findings were published Monday in the journal Nature Climate Change.
"Public health issues related to sugar consumption have been broadly discussed, but if we consider the interaction with the climate change, it will make things worse," lead study author Pan He told CNN. She is a lecturer in environmental science and sustainability at Cardiff University in the U.K.
