Type 2 diabetes is more likely to occur in African American women who are regular consumers of sugar-sweetened beverages, such as fruit drinks and soft drinks.

​This study examined the effect of frequent consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages on type 2 diabetes risk in African American women. A team of researchers from Slone Epidemiological Center, Boston University looked at the dietary data of 43,960 African American women and estimated the relative risk of type 2 diabetes in each participant in this study. They discovered that subjects who regularly consumed sugar-sweetened beverages, such as soft drinks and fruit drinks, had a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The results of this study support the hypothesis that increased intake of sugar-sweetened beverages may be a major contributing factor to the development of type 2 diabetes in African American women.