The American Heart Association says that a new study shows that sugar-sweetened drinks may be more dangerous than first thought.

The 2010 Global Burden of Diseases Study shows 180,000 people die annually world-wide of problems involving over-consumption of sugary beverages.

Seventy-eight percent of the deaths happened in low and middle-income countries.

In the United States, 25,000 deaths annually are linked to the drinks.

Researchers say that the drinks often add body weight which can lead to heart disease, and increased weight can be a cause of diabetes.