--- title: "Does Sugar Increase Your Risk for Diabetes? | Sutter Health" description: "Will eating too much sugar increase my risk for diabetes?" url: "/ask-an-expert/answers/does-sugar-increase-your-risk-for-diabetes-1051061309" --- 1. Home / 2. Does Sugar Increase Your Risk for Diabetes? # Does Sugar Increase Your Risk for Diabetes? * * * Medically reviewed by - Pam Noonan, MS, RN, CDE ## Question Will eating too much sugar increase my risk for diabetes? ## Answer The short answer is no. There is no direct link between and eating too much sugar, but the question isn't as simple as it seems. There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition caused by genetics and unknown environmental factors. Type 2 diabetes is caused by genetics and lifestyle factors. Obesity is one of those lifestyle factors. Eating more calories than your body needs can lead to obesity. Reducing calorie intake by eliminating concentrated sugars, like sweetened beverages (sweetened teas and coffees, regular sodas, energy and sports drinks), can reduce weight and in turn, reduce risk of developing type 2 diabetes. ## Explore related topics DiabetesNutrition ## Related questions View all questions - Health Q&A ### Avocados: Healthy Fat for Diabetics? I had my gall bladder removed last year. I'm also diabetic. I know I'm supposed to eat low-fat foods. I know avocados contain healthy fat. Should I stay away from them or is it alright to eat them? - Health Q&A ### Lowering Fasting Blood Sugar Levels Is there anything that can be done to lower my fasting blood sugar? I can control my postprandial blood sugar by limiting carbs during a meal, but my fasting blood sugar has been rising over the last year and it seems to be beyond my control. - Health Q&A ### Smart Snacks Ideas for Diabetics What are your favorite snack ideas for people with diabetes? - Health Q&A ### Tomatoes in a Diabetic Diet? My husband has Type 2 diabetes. He heard that tomatoes have too much sugar in them, however, most recipes for diabetics contain tomatoes or tomato products. How do tomatoes fit into a diabetic diet? - Health Q&A ### Are artificial sweeteners safe to use? Are artificial sweeteners safe to use? View all questions ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/does-sugar-increase-your-risk-for-diabetes-1051061309#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Does Sugar Increase Your Risk for Diabetes?"}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalWebPage","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/does-sugar-increase-your-risk-for-diabetes-1051061309#medicalwebpage","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/does-sugar-increase-your-risk-for-diabetes-1051061309","name":"Does Sugar Increase Your Risk for Diabetes?","description":"The short answer is no. 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