Humans have an innate preference for sweetness; in this regard, dietary sugar consumption patterns are established early in life. Although moderate consumption of naturally occurring sugars from whole foods contributes to metabolic and physiological functions, excessive consumption of free sugars, particularly those added during processing, such as in sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), may largely lead to obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS). SSB consumption has increased since 1990 and is projected to rise further by 2050, contributing considerably to the global burden of noncommunicable diseases, including cardiovascular (CV) disease (CVD).
