Drinking a lot of fructose — like in sugary sodas — might pack on belly fat deep inside your body, even if you're not gaining overall weight, and it could affect your blood sugar and fats differently than other sugars.

What we've found so far suggests that drinking fructose-sweetened beverages might increase belly fat more than other sugars, even without overall weight gain [1]. Our current analysis shows this effect could also extend to how the body handles blood sugar and fats. We reviewed one assertion from the available evidence, and it supports the idea that high fructose intake—especially from sugary drinks—may lead to fat building up deep inside the abdomen [1]. This type of fat, sometimes called visceral fat, is stored around internal organs and is different from fat under the skin. The assertion notes that fructose might influence fat storage and metabolic markers like blood sugar and blood fats in a way that’s distinct from other sugars [1]. Importantly, this change could happen even if a person isn’t gaining noticeable weight overall. At this point, our analysis is based on limited evidence—only one supporting assertion and no studies or claims that refute it. Because of this, we can’t say how strong or consistent this effect is across different people or diets. We also don’t have enough information to compare fructose directly to other sugars like glucose or sucrose in a range of real-world settings. Our current understanding is still developing. The evidence we’ve reviewed leans toward a possible unique role for fructose in belly fat accumulation and metabolic changes, but we don’t have enough data to draw firm conclusions. Practical takeaway: If you're concerned about belly fat or metabolic health, cutting back on sugary drinks—especially those high in fructose—might be worth considering, based on what we’ve seen so far.