A new study has raised concerns over the possible health risks associated with regularly consuming sugar-sweetened beverages. Researchers found that people who consumed at least one sugary drink every day had a significantly higher risk of developing stomach cancer compared with those who rarely consumed such beverages.
The study analyzed health, lifestyle and dietary data from 112,284 participants who were followed over several decades. During the follow-up period, 278 participants were diagnosed with gastric cancer, allowing researchers to examine the possible relationship between beverage consumption and cancer risk.
According to the findings, participants who consumed at least one sugar-sweetened beverage per day had about a 2.45 times higher risk of stomach cancer compared with people who consumed less than one such drink per month. The association was observed in both men and women.
The researchers included beverages such as carbonated soft drinks, lemonade, punch and sports drinks in the sugar-sweetened category. The study also found that higher consumption of fructose, which was the main sweetener in many of the beverages consumed by participants, was associated with a higher incidence of gastric cancer.
The findings appeared particularly concerning among women. Women who consumed more than one sugar-sweetened beverage per day had approximately a threefold higher risk of developing stomach cancer compared with women who rarely consumed these drinks.
In contrast, researchers did not find a similar increase in stomach cancer incidence among people who consumed higher amounts of artificially sweetened or low-calorie carbonated beverages. However, the researchers stressed that this finding does not mean artificially sweetened drinks are necessarily healthy or risk-free.
Researchers also examined the potential role of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), a bacterium known to increase the risk of stomach cancer. In a subgroup of 940 participants whose H. pylori status was assessed, no association was found between sugary drink consumption and H. pylori infection.
Scientists believe several factors could potentially explain the observed association, including higher fructose intake, weight gain, insulin resistance, hormonal changes and inflammation. However, further research is needed to understand exactly why regular consumption of sugary beverages may be linked to a higher risk of gastric cancer.
The researchers emphasized that the study was observational, meaning it can identify an association but cannot prove that sugary drinks directly cause stomach cancer. The study also had limitations, including limited information about participants’ H. pylori status and family history of stomach cancer, while most participants were from a predominantly White U.S. population.
The researchers say further studies will be needed to confirm the findings and determine whether reducing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages could help lower the risk of stomach cancer.