Recent research from Mass General Brigham suggests that consuming one sugary drink daily may raise the risk of stomach cancer significantly. Researchers observed that drinking one or more sugary beverages per day nearly tripled the risk of developing gastric cancer compared to consuming less than one serving each month.
According to CDC data, about 63% of U.S. adults report having sugar-sweetened drinks at least once a day. Previous studies have linked sugary beverages to increased rates of liver, breast, and colorectal cancers. However, the impact on gastric tissue was less understood until now.
The study, analyzing data from over 100,000 participants in the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, found that daily consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages led to a 2.45-times higher risk of gastric cancer compared to those drinking less than one per month.
Conducted by Harvard-affiliated researchers, these long-term cohort studies investigated the connections between lifestyle, diet, and chronic diseases, focusing on healthcare workers.
Dr. Andrew T. Chan, a senior author of the study and a gastroenterologist at the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute, expressed concern over the increasing incidence of gastrointestinal cancers, particularly among people under 50. According to Chan, the rising consumption of sugary drinks and ultra-processed foods could contribute to these cancer trends.
Gastric cancer is often linked to Helicobacter pylori bacteria found in the stomach lining. In a specific group of participants, no link was found between sugary drink intake and H. pylori, strengthening the idea that fructose may be a factor. Notably, women who consumed more than one sugary drink daily showed over a threefold increase in gastric cancer rates.
Sugar-sweetened beverages, as defined by the researchers, include regular sodas, fruit punches, lemonade, and sports drinks, where fructose is the primary sweetener. A higher intake of fructose was consistently associated with increased stomach cancer risk.
Conversely, artificially sweetened drinks, such as diet sodas and low-calorie carbonated beverages, were not linked to an increased risk of gastric cancer in the study’s subjects.
The research is observational, indicating correlation rather than direct causation. Predominantly involving White healthcare professionals, the researchers highlighted the need to confirm findings across diverse populations.
Dr. Chan emphasized the need for further research to determine if the observed association between sugary drinks and stomach cancer is indeed causal. The study is published in Gastro Hep Advances.
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