Hot weather triggers America’s sweet tooth, says study

Don’t miss the full story, whose reporting from Seth Borenstein at The Associated Press is the basis of this AI-assisted article.

A new study reveals that rising temperatures due to global warming are significantly increasing Americans’ consumption of sugary beverages and frozen desserts, with the greatest impact on lower-income and less-educated populations.

Some key facts from the study in Monday’s Nature Climate Change include:

• Americans consume approximately 0.4 grams more added sugar per degree Fahrenheit temperature increase per day, totaling over 100 million additional pounds of sugar annually compared to 15 years ago.

• Sugar consumption peaks between 54-86 degrees Fahrenheit, ranging from about 2 grams at the lower temperature to more than 15 grams at the higher temperature.

• The U.S.’ average annual temperature has risen about 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit since 1895, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

• Low-income and very low-income families consume several times more added sugar during hot weather compared to wealthy families.

• Men consume more sugary soft drinks than women, and outdoor workers drink more sugary beverages than indoor workers.

• White people show the highest added sugar effect from heat, while Asians showed no significant change in sugar consumption during hot weather.

• Just one additional can of sugary soft drink per day increases diabetes risk by 29% among poorer Americans.

• The research analyzed purchase records from 40,000 to 60,000 American households between 2004 and 2019, comparing them with weather data.

READ MORE: As world gets hotter, Americans are turning to more sugar, study finds