Chennai, Aug. 19 -- Highlights:
* More than one sugary drink a day was linked to higher stomach cancer risk
* The study followed 112,284 adults for more than 3.2 million person-years
* The //finding shows an association, not proof that sugary drinks cause cancer
A large U.S. prospective study has found that people drinking more than one serving of a sugar-sweetened beverage a day had a significantly higher risk of developing gastric cancer than those who rarely consumed these drinks.
The findings come from a new study published in Gastro Hep Advances , which examined 112,284 participants from the long-running Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS) ( ref1 ).
Over 3.2 million person-years of follow-up, researchers documented 278 cases of gastric cancer.
The study is important because earlier research had not established a clear relationship between sugary drinks and gastric cancer.
However, the researchers stress that the new findings show an association, not proof that sugary drinks directly cause stomach cancer.
How Strong Was The Link Between Sugary Drinks And Stomach Cancer?
The study followed 112,284 adults and recorded 278 cases of stomach cancer.
The researchers compared people who drank sugary beverages more than once a day with those who rarely drank them.
The table below shows what the researchers found and what those numbers actually mean. Group Finding What Does It Mean? All participants 2.45 times higher risk People drinking more than one sugary drink a day had more than twice the observed stomach cancer risk compared with rare consumers. Women 3.04 times higher risk The observed association was about three times higher among women. Men 1.99 times higher risk The observed association was about twice as high among men. Fructose intake Higher risk observed Higher total fructose intake was also linked with stomach cancer, particularly among women.
However, the study does not prove that sugary drinks cause stomach cancer.
It was an observational study, meaning researchers looked at patterns in people's diets and health over time rather than assigning people to drink sugary beverages.
The authors also noted that important information, including complete data on H. pylori infection, family history of stomach cancer, and some other risk factors, was limited.
More research is therefore needed to confirm the association and understand what might explain it.
Do Sugary Drinks Also Raise The Risk Of Other Cancers?
The stomach cancer finding is not the first time sugary drinks have been linked with cancer. Earlier research has reported possible links with several other cancers, although the strength of the evidence differs from one cancer to another.
A systematic review and meta-analysis looked at 64 studies, with 27 included in the final analysis. The review found that people who consumed more sugar-sweetened beverages had higher observed risks of breast and prostate cancers ( ref2 ). Cancer What The Review Found What It Means Breast cancer 14% higher observed risk Higher sugary-drink intake was linked with a modest increase in risk Prostate cancer 18% higher observed risk A higher intake was associated with increased risk Colorectal cancer Risk showed an upward trend, but the result was not statistically significant The evidence was not strong enough to confirm a link Pancreatic cancer Risk also showed an upward trend, but the result was not statistically significant More research is needed How Might Sugary Drinks Affect Cancer Risk?
Scientists do not yet know exactly how sugary drinks could be linked to cancer. The new study suggests several possible explanations, but these are still being investigated.
The researchers point to changes that can happen when sugary drinks are consumed regularly: Possible Link What It Could Mean Weight gain Sugary drinks can add a lot of extra calories, which may contribute to excess body weight. Insulin resistance Regular high sugar intake may affect how the body handles insulin, a process linked with cancer risk. Inflammation Long-term metabolic changes may promote inflammation, which can contribute to disease development. DNA damage The researchers suggest that changes associated with high sugar intake could potentially affect cells and their DNA. Gut microbiome changes Sugary drinks may alter the balance of bacteria in the gut, although the exact connection with gastric cancer is not known. Hormonal changes Changes in steroid hormone activity have also been proposed as a possible pathway.
The key point is that these are possible explanations, not proven causes . The 2026 study did not determine which, if any, of these processes explains the higher gastric cancer risk seen among frequent sugary-drink consumers.
How Many People Drink Sugary Drinks Every Day? Sugary drinks are a common daily habit, which makes the new cancer finding important to understand in a wider context.
According to a CDC, about 63% of U.S. adults reported having at least one sugar-sweetened beverage every day ( ref3 ).
Daily consumption was especially common among:
* Young adults: Around 65% of those aged 18-39 drank sugary beverages daily.
* Men:1% reported daily consumption.
* Adults with less education: 69.8% among those who had not completed high school.
* Lower-income adults:0% among those with household incomes below (Dollar) 35,000.
The most commonly consumed drinks were:
* Sweetened coffee or tea: 39.5%
* Regular soda: 19.5%
* Fruit drinks: 5.7%
* Sports or energy drinks: 5.5%
The concern is regular consumption over time , especially because these drinks are a routine part of many people's diets.
Does Replacing Sugary Drinks With Water Actually Help?
Yes, replacing sugary drinks with water or other low-calorie options may help reduce calorie intake and support healthier weight management.
A systematic review looked at six long-term cohort studies and four randomized trials. The review found that replacing sugary drinks with other beverages was linked with ( ref4 ):
* Low calorie intake: People consumed less energy overall.
* Less weight gain: Replacing sugary drinks may help prevent excess weight gain over time.
* Water may be a better choice: Water and low-calorie drinks were among the options linked to potential benefits.
However, the researchers said there was not enough evidence to identify one best replacement for everyone or to confirm benefits for every long-term health outcome. The practical takeaway is simple: replacing a regular sugary drink with water or an unsweetened, low-calorie option can be an easy way to cut down on added sugar and calories.
What Does The American Heart Association Say About Sugary Drinks?
The American Heart Association (AHA) highlights another reason to cut back on sugary drinks: they can affect heart and metabolic health, even in people who exercise regularly ( ref5 ).
According to the AHA:
* Sugary drinks are linked to an estimated 2 million new type 2 diabetes cases.
* Regular consumption of sugary drinks can cause blood sugar spikes and may contribute to inflammation, insulin resistance and excess fat around the organs.
* Sugary drinks are also associated with about 2 million new cases of cardiovascular disease each year. A Harvard study found that drinking one sugary drink a day was linked to an 18% higher risk of cardiovascular disease, while two or more a day was linked to a 21% higher risk even among people meeting recommended physical-activity levels.
Should You Cut Back On Sugary Drinks?
The new study found a link between frequent sugary-drink consumption and stomach cancer, but it did not prove that sugary drinks cause cancer.
The practical message is simple:
* Drinking fewer sugary beverages can reduce added sugar and calorie intake.
* Water and other unsweetened drinks are simple alternatives.
* Frequent sugary-drink consumption is already linked with weight gain, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The stomach-cancer finding is important, but it still needs to be confirmed by further research.
medfaq
References:
* Association between sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened beverage intake and gastric cancer incidence - (https://www.ghadvances.org/article/S2772-5723(26)00218-9/pdf)
* Consumption of Sweet Beverages and Cancer Risk. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies - (https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/2/516)
* Prevalence of Self-Reported Intake of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Among US Adults in 50 States and the District of Columbia, 2010 and 2015 - (https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2021/20_0434.htm)
* Substitution of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages with Other Beverage Alternatives: A Review of Long-Term Health Outcomes - (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2212267215001124)
* What does the sugar in beverages do to your body? - (https://www.heart.org/en/around-the-aha/what-does-the-sugar-in-beverages-do-to-your-body)
Source-Medindia